Say What? Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline - Decibels Audiology and Hearing Aid Center

Did you know that hearing loss can lead to dementia? Schedule a free hearing test to protect your cognition.

An estimated 40-50% of adults over the age of 65 experience some level of hearing loss, and that percentage increases to approximately 83% of people over the age of 70. Brain function and cognitive decline are closely associated with hearing health for this high number of people. Though these numbers may seem staggering at the outset, but for those of us in communities like Southwest Florida, we experience the impact of hearing loss on a daily basis. We interact with countless people who have hearing loss, and many of us experience hearing loss ourselves.

And guess what? We all catch ourselves downplaying hearing loss — making fun of it, laughing it off, and thinking to ourselves that it’s really no big deal. Or maybe you’re like many people, and you have a negative attitude towards hearing aids, believing them to be exclusively for “old people.” I’ve got a news flash for you, Walter Kronkite, they aren’t. (Have you ever seen Zoolander? If not, you should. It’s hilarious, and then you’ll understand my early 2000s reference.) Hearing devices are for anyone who experiences any level of hearing loss — from the very young to the very old.

And hearing devices do not simply correct the annoyances of hearing loss. They don’t merely keep your friends from having to yell at you to get your attention. They don’t just help you to catch your spouse’s sexy whispers of love in a crowded dining room. And hearing devices don’t preserve your communication with your kids and grandkids. (Although they certainly do all of those things.)

Hearing and Cognitive Decling

Hearing devices, regular hearing tests, and hearing health check ups preserve the pathways to your brain. Being able to listen to others, hear them, and understand what they say is a cognitive process. Your brain processes and decodes WHAT YOU HEAR. Can’t hear what others say? Then, eventually you may not be able to understand what they say EVEN IF YOU GET HEARING DEVICES.

News flash: your hearing is your problem. It’s not your spouse’s problem. It’s not your family’s responsibility. And it’s certainly not your friends’ issue. It’s your own; so own it! Do not rely on others to speak loudly, email you instead of call, or constantly repeat themselves. Take responsibility for your health, and schedule a hearing test today. It is not scary, it is not embarrassing, and it doesn’t hurt. Best of all — it’s free! Or maybe, best of all, our audiologists are extremely attractive. And highly intelligent. And well dressed.

Hearing Devices are Sexy

Getting fitted for high quality hearing devices is sexy. Yes, I said it. Hearing devices are sexy, because hearing is sexy. Preventing cognitive decline is sexy. Effective communication preserves your relationships and your brain function — and that’s sexy. Men: women love you for your personality and your mind. Women: men love you for your body…and your mind, too! And they need your mind to be in tip-top shape so they can win you over with their romantic charms.

Set aside your stigmas about hearing devices. The technology available to us today is unmatched. Preserve the pathways from your ears to your brain. Call Decibels Audiology and Hearing Aid Center today to be your sexiest self. We’ll make it so easy on you; we promise!

To Sum Up:

If you are over the age of 65, you might have hearing loss.
If you are over the age of 70, you probably have some level of hearing loss.
To prevent cognitive decline and preserve brain function, preserve your hearing. Don’t be idiotic or cavalier about it.
To interact with the pretty audiologists, schedule a FREE hearing test today. And most importantly of all,
Hearing devices are oh-so-sexy.

So, put on that red dress and heels from Nordstrom. Don your suit and tie from Brooks Brothers. Slip on your top-of-the-line invisible hearing devices. And get out there! Live your very best life today!

Hearing Loss & Cognitive Decline

It begins when you need to turn up the television a little louder or ask friends to repeat themselves. Maybe you misunderstand someone on the phone or mistake one word for another when dining out with your friends.

For most people, that is enough to alert them that they should come in for a hearing screening and obtain a baseline hearing test.

For others, they feel like their hearing loss is everyone else’s problem. We hear it all the time: “My wife will speak up, my kids know to email me now instead of call, if someone really wants to talk to me, they’ll get my attention.”

The truth is, however, that hearing loss is all about you. It’s about your brain. You were born with two ears and you need them to work well in order to keep your brain healthy.

In a recent study, Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline (Frank Lin, M.D., Ph.D. et al. 2013 JAMA Internal Medicine), Dr. Lin explained his findings:

Over a 6-year period, individuals with hearing loss had cognitive abilities that declined 30-40% faster than those with normal hearing.
Levels of declining brain function were directly related to the amount of hearing loss.
On average, older adults with hearing loss developed significant impairments in their cognitive abilities 3.2 years sooner than those with normal hearing.

The truth is that your wife may not mind yelling, your friends may not mind repeating themselves… But you need to correct your hearing loss in order to keep your brain healthy.

And guess what? As you wear hearing devices and begin to hear better, to understand better, and to better engage with your friends and family, you strengthen your relationship with them.

The wife of one of our patients said it best: “When Bob got the hearing aids, going to dinner with him became a delight! An absolute delight! I felt like we were dating again.”

Contact us today and let us show you why we’re the #1 hearing center in Southwest Florida. We can’t wait to HEAR from you.