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Welcome to the second in my series of articles on how our five senses change as we age. Last month we explored our sense of smell. In case you missed it, you can find the article through this link.
Today we’ll explore the sense of hearing. We’ll look at the causes of hearing decline with aging and what we can do to help our residents. I’ll also share some information about hearing aids that may be new to you.
How does aging affect the sense of hearing?
For many people, a gradual reduction in hearing begins around age 40-50. This age-related change is called presbycusis. By age 65, about one in every three people experiences difficulty hearing.
Most age-related hearing loss results from natural and irreversible changes to the sensory cells of the inner ear. Factors may hasten the process such as smoking, medical conditions such as diabetes, and certain medications. There is also a hereditary component in hearing loss.
Unfortunately, the cumulative effect of excessive noise also catches up with us as we age. That’s why it’s essential to protect our ears throughout our entire lives. This article from the National Institutes of Health provides excellent guidance.
Why is this important?
A declining sense of hearing as we age can contribute to problems such as social isolation, safety issues, and missing out on vital communication.
Interestingly, recent studies also suggest that hearing loss can be a risk factor for cognitive declines as we age. You can learn more in this article from Being Patient.
When to seek medical care
If you notice a change in your ability to hear, it’s crucial to consult a medical professional. That’s because you need to understand the cause to know how to treat the condition.
The problem may be something as simple and easily treated as impacted ear wax. Furthermore, in most cases, we see an improvement in hearing through the use of hearing aids or other adaptive devices.
A word about hearing aids
Although it’s getting better over time, there’s often a stigma attached to wearing hearing aids. As a result, many people avoid using them. In fact, it is said that the average person waits 10-15 years after the onset of hearing difficulties before they pursue getting a hearing aid.
Because of the advanced technology involved in a customized hearing aid, they are typically very expensive. It’s not unusual for hearing aids to cost $1000-$4000 each, and most insurance plans don’t cover them.
So, what about over-the-counter hearing aids? These are becoming a reality because of a law passed in 2017. The FDA is working on developing guidelines for these hearing aids that may be helpful to people with mild-to-moderate hearing impairment.
Yes, you can buy over-the-counter devices to enhance your hearing. (Link provided as an example only; I have no experience with theses devices.) However, if you look at the description, you’ll see that these are hearing amplifiers rather than high-tech hearing aids. These devices can’t be customized to the often complex needs of an individual patient.
How can we help residents with hearing loss?
- Learn communication strategies
A few months ago, I posted a list of 12 tips to help us communicate with people experiencing hearing loss. I believe you’ll find it helpful, and you can check it out here.
- Minimize noise pollution
I hope you’ll take the time to pause and listen to the background noises in your nursing home. Noisy equipment, a blaring television, loud conversations, inappropriate music, or unnecessary overhead paging can all create a negative sensory environment.
- Provide sensory-stimulating activities
When it comes to hearing, this usually means offering meaningful and enjoyable music. While this topic goes beyond the scope of today’s article, you can find lots of online resources that will help you incorporate music into daily activities and routines. This could be anything from a group presentation by a guest musician to simply singing along with a resident while helping with morning care.
- Make hearing aid care a priority
Here’s something that saddens me greatly. I go to visit a nursing home resident, and they can’t hear me. Then I discover that their caregiver forgot to apply their hearing aid that morning. Or the hearing aid battery is dead. Worse yet, occasionally, I hear that the hearing aid is broken. A caregiver forgot to take it out the previous night, and it went through the washing machine with the bed linens.
I hope every nursing home makes it a priority to educate staff on the importance of hearing aids and proper care of these devices. It’s also crucial to have a system in place to minimize the chance of a hearing aid getting lost.
- Make use of your SLP
I believe that the Speech-Language Pathologist is one of the most under-used professionals in nursing homes. They have a wealth of knowledge to help residents compensate for hearing impairments. Even if a resident doesn’t qualify for formal SLP services, the SLP is still a valuable resource person.
- Check out these organizations
Many people with hearing impairments could benefit from adaptive devices. Yet, because of the high cost or the stigma of hearing loss, they suffer in silence. This is sad when we consider how much the sense of hearing adds to a person’s quality of life.
Several organizations can help people gain access to free or discounted hearing evaluations and adaptive devices. These include hearing aids, captioned telephones, alert systems, and personal amplification equipment.
For more information, please check out these resources:
Hearing Loss Association of America
Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project
National Campaign For Better Hearing
I hope you’ll watch for next month’s article where we’ll look at the sense of touch. In the meantime, please let me know if you have other suggestions to help our residents who experience hearing loss.
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