We know using a hearing aid can reduce depression and anxiety – and even help to decrease the risk of dementia – yet hearing loss often goes untreated.
Many people with hearing loss struggle to stay connected in a world they feel lost in, reluctant to seek help. These were some of the comments by David Myers, PhD, at the American Psychological Association’s 123rd Annual Convention recently.
Myers said many people battle silently with ‘invisible’ hearing difficulties. Yet the latest studies show:
- Of people with hearing loss, those who didn’t wear hearing aids were 50 per cent more likely to suffer from sadness or depression than those who did.
- Hearing aid users were much more likely to participate in social activities regularly.
People do nothing for six years
On average, people wait for six years from the first signs of hearing loss before getting treatment, according to the US National Center for Health Statistics. Adults between the ages of 20 and 69 are half as likely as adults 70 or older to use hearing aids.
The reasons for this can be denial, vanity and lack of awareness of how much they are missing out on.
If you find yourself hard of hearing, you will tend to feel anger, frustration, depression and anxiety. You need to get used to the latest technology to help you regain control of your life and even to get to better cognitive functioning, Myers said.
Hearing loss linked to dementia
Myers cited another study published in the Archives of Neurology which found hearing loss could also be a risk factor for dementia. The study found years of sensory loss leaves people more susceptible to dementia. Plus, the social isolation common among the hard of hearing is another risk factor for dementia and other cognitive disorders.
Myers advocates the use of a technology known as a ‘hearing loop’ which could also help those with hearing loss become more social and involved. He explained the ‘hearing loop’ is like Wi-Fi for hearing aids – the technology uses an inductive loop to transmit sound signals directly into an in-ear hearing aid or cochlear implant, where it is received by an inductive device called a telecoil. [Click here to read about how hearing loops work.]
Wi-Fi for hearing aids
Efforts over the last dozen years to have hearing loops installed in public places around the US have gained some momentum with new American manufacturers stepping up to design and market hearing loop amplifiers for a wide variety of installations, from home TV rooms and taxis to auditoriums and airports.
The loop system, which enables hearing aids to serve as wireless speakers, is popular in Great Britain and Scandinavia but less widespread elsewhere. Proponents of the system say it works especially well in public spaces with background noise or reverberant sound, such as train stations, halls and auditoriums, cinemas, and places of worship.
In Australia it is gaining in use. See a video on Hearing Australia website to see the difference it can make.
Meanwhile, Hearing Australia offers a free hearing check with an audiologist. Click here for details.
