Can Hearing Aids Help Someone Stay Mentally Sharp?
Hearing aids do much more than provide a level of comfort and ease to people with hearing loss, and overall improve their social life – they may actually have a significant positive effect on their brain.
If you wear hearing aids, you may already be improving your brain function; if you don’t wear them regularly, or haven’t explored that option yet – hopefully this article will encourage you to wear your hearing aids and to also pass this information on to family and friends who may benefit from it!
Here are some facts backed by medical studies about hearing aids and how they can help keep you mentally sharp:
The Risk of Age-related Cognitive Decline is Lower
In a 25-year study, reported by The American Geriatrics Society, scientists measured mental decline in people with normal hearing and people with hearing loss. What the study found was that people with hearing loss who did not wear hearing aids showed significant mental decline compared to people with normal hearing, while people with hearing loss who did wear hearing aids performed the same on cognitive tests as people without any hearing loss.
Improved Memory and Mental Acuity
In a study from Texas A&M University, a group of people with hearing loss were give a series of tests to measure their memory, ability to focus, and the speed of processing information. Afterwards, they were given the hearing aids. After only six weeks of wearing them, participants saw improvements in all areas of cognitive function – they were able to remember things better, focus better, and were processing information faster.
Having better memory and focus, and faster mental processing can also make you seem more youthful.
Lower Levels of Depression
In a survey by the National Council on Aging, over 4,000 people with hearing loss, both with and without hearing aids, participated, and what stood out was the discovery that people who chose to wear hearing aids reported lower levels of depression and displayed fewer outward signs of being depressed.
It also showed that people with hearing aids demonstrated greater emotional stability; their families reported they were less likely to become angry or frustrated; and, generally, participants who wore hearing aids felt that they had more control over their lives and a more positive outlook.
Improved Balance
A 2015 study done by Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the National Institute of Aging found that hearing loss significantly increases the risk of falls for older people.
Researchers at The Washington University School of Medicine found that older adults with hearing loss performed better on balance tests and were less likely to fall when they wore hearing aids in both ears.
Having better balance with hearing aids means less chance of falls, which means less chance of major injuries and a lower risk of costly hospitalizations.
If you want to experience better brain function, lower your risk of depression, mental decline, and falling, and have a higher quality of life overall – wearing your hearing aids regularly can help.
If you are one of the almost 50 million people in the States who suffer from hearing loss, and you don’t yet wear some type of hearing aid, now is the time to seek help – get tested and start benefiting from latest technology hearing aids.
At Resonance Audiology & Hearing Aid Center, LLC, we encourage people with hearing difficulties to start wearing state-of-the-art Bluetooth hearing aids that provide solutions, enrich lives, and increase efficiency.
Resonance Audiology & Hearing Aid Center hearing specialists Lancaster PA are here to support you with superior hearing healthcare for you or your loved one – call us at: 717.925.6112.