A decline in cognitive facilities includes: • Commonly forgetting things • Taking much longer than usual to learn something new • Having a harder time concentrating and focusing
Also, as we age our hearing ability tends to naturally decline. One of the most important things we can do to maintain our brain health as we age is to stay mentally engaged with friends, family and/or work.
For many years, researchers have speculated about the connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline. The topic has been the focus of numerous studies. One of the more recent studies on this topic shows that individuals with hearing loss who do not actively use their hearing aids have a higher risk of accelerated cognitive decline due to withdrawal from social activities. The study found that people with hearing loss who used hearing aids and were socially active experienced cognitive decline at a rate similar to those without hearing loss. In other words, actively using hearing aids when they are needed reduces the risk of cognitive decline.
The scientists of this study concluded that the key was not just the subject’s ability to hear better, but it was more about the role that better hearing played in keeping them involved in their life socially and cognitively. Hearing aids have the ability to help improve mood and increase social interactions by serving to partially restore communication abilities.
If you are experiencing any hearing loss you owe it to yourself to visit a hearing care professional for an evaluation.
At ENT Specialists, we offer comprehensive testing and work up of all forms of hearing loss. Our certified audiologists perform extensive testing in our insulated audiology booths with the most up-to-date testing equipment and techniques.
Our audiologists can then recommend, program and custom fit hearing aids to offer you the best hearing solution for your needs that can keep you enjoying an active, engaged and healthy life.