Hearing things

Hearing keeps the brain engaged

seniorlife

WITH CEARA ROLSETH Does hearing aid use help your brain? A growing amount of research associates hearing technology with improved cognition and slowed or decreased risk of cognitive decline.

We’ve long talked about connections between hearing and the brain. They work together to help keep you empowered and engaged, so it’s no wonder that hearing difficulties could go hand in hand with cognitive problems.

The good news? An increasing volume of research links hearing loss treatment to improved brain function or reduced risk of cognitive impairment.

A University of Melbourne study published in early 2020, for example, suggests that “more frequent use of hearing aids was associated with greater improvements in cognitive function,” per a university news release.

Investigators, whose study assessed nearly 100 hearing-impaired adults aged 62 to 82 before and after an 18-month period of hearing aid use, also discovered substantial improvement in “speech perception, self-reported listening disability and quality of life.”

“Most notably,” according to the release, “97.3 per cent of participants in this study showed either clinically significant improvement or stability in executive function — their mental ability to plan, organise information and initiate tasks.”

The conclusions dovetail with other variousstudies over the years whose data suggest, respectively, that with hearing aid use: - Age-related cognitive decline may slow - Odds of depression may be lower - Risk of a dementia diagnosis — within three years of being diagnosed with hearing loss — may drop 18 per cent - Adults perceive improvements in mental health and quality of life.

As you can see, hearing health is connected to more than just the power of communication, and hearing aids can play a big role in your overall wellness. If you have questions about hearing and brain health or if it’s been a while since your last hearing exam, don’t wait. Contact our experienced team today. Together, let’s keep you hearing — and living — your best. life

Ceara Rolseth, BC-HIS is a Registered Hearing Aid Practitioner and the owner of Superior Hearing Services