Why you shouldn’t ignore any age-related hearing loss

I recently received an email suggesting I would be doing a favor to others if I wrote about age-related hearing loss and the dangers of ignoring it. The reader described his journey after he was making up words to fill in what he was missing in conversations. And the words did not make sense. So here you go…

“Hearing loss isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s a critical public health issue impacting how older adults engage with their world.” That’s a headline from the Johns Hopkins Cochlear Center Newsletter. 

We know that hearing loss is part of the typical aging process that begins around age 50. It is called presbycusis. The extent of the loss and when it occurs depends on the individual. It affects nearly 27 million Americans ages 50 and older. At the beginning, the loss is so gradual that many older adults are unaware of it. 

A  2023 survey reports that nearly two-thirds of adults ages 71 and older had hearing loss; by age 90, nearly everyone was affected. The same survey found that roughly only 30 percent used hearing aids.

There is a price to pay for ignoring this loss that can affect one’s physical safety and cognitive health. Let’s begin with walking. 

Our ears pick up subtle cues that help with walking and balance. A hearing loss mutes these important signals and makes the brain work harder just to process the sound. Those sounds which are muted can interfere with some of the mental processing needed to walk safely. 

And then there is the relationship to dementia. Researchers at Johns Hopkins studied over 600 people for nearly 12 years studying the connection between hearing loss and the risk of dementia. Their findings might be surprising. For those with mild hearing loss, the risk for dementia doubled. For moderate loss, the risk tripled. People with severe hearing impairment were five times more likely to develop dementia. 

Older adults who cannot hear well often become depressed, isolating themselves from conversations because they are frustrated or embarrassed about not understanding what is being said. They can mistakenly be perceived as being confused, unresponsive or uncooperative.

Age is a risk factor for hearing loss. For most, hearing aids are part of the solution. There is no downside to using them, according to Dr. Frank Linn, a Johns Hopkins professor and director of the Cochlear Center for Hearing and Public Health. He notes, “They help most people who try them. And in those people, they can make all the difference in the world — allowing people to reengage with friends and family and to be more involved again,” as quoted in an online report from Johns Hopkins Medicine. 

Then why do so many avoid them? Here are some reasons for the avoidance, based on a conversation I had with two audiologists: 

• “If I wear a hearing aid, it will be a sign to others I am getting old.” 

• “People will look at me and believe that I am not on top of my game.”

• “My Uncle Ben had a hearing aid and it didn’t work.” 

• “Hearing aids are a rip-off. I’ve read about hearing-aid scams.” 

• “If people would stop mumbling and look at me when they speak, I would hear just fine.”

Until recently, purchasing a hearing aid required a visit to an audiologist, an ear, nose and throat physician or hearing aid specialist. That recently was changed by the FDA increasing the public’s access to hearing aids and improving opportunities for more people to hear better. The agency established a new category of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids for adults 18 years of age and older with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss that went into effect on October 17, 2022. 

Now, one can buy an over-the-counter hearing aid that is considered more affordable than prescription options. They can be purchased in stores such as Costco or from an online retailer. 

There still are good reasons to see an audiologist. They are educated and trained to evaluate, diagnose, treat, prevent, and manage hearing loss and balance disorders, as well as program hearing aids, cochlear implants, assistive listening devices, bone-anchored hearing aids and more. 

So, yes, this column is a pitch to be aware of your own hearing and get evaluated if you think you might have a problem. Some examples are hearing words in a conversation that sound mumbled or slurred, particularly with background noise or having difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds or conversations on the phone. If any of these apply, get your hearing checked and then consider a hearing device – and don’t forget to wear it – to help you live your best life. 

Stay well, everyone, and spread that gift of kindness.

Helen Dennis is a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging and the new retirement with academic, corporate and nonprofit experience. Contact Helen with your questions and comments at Helendenn@gmail.com. Visit Helen at HelenMdennis.com and follow her on facebook.com/SuccessfulAgingCommunity