How hearing aids are helping older adults get back to what they enjoy
Hearing health plays an important role in the ability to do many activities, from playing cards with friends to taking a yoga class
As life expectancy around the world continues to climb, most of us want to stay as active as possible for as long as possible.
However, for many older adults, hearing loss can present a significant barrier to enjoying the activities they love most. Even if they’re still physically and socially active, hearing loss can rob them of their confidence to stay engaged with friends and family.
“We absolutely see higher rates of social isolation in adults who have an untreated hearing loss,” says Katie Koebel, an audiologist and senior manager of audiology at Hearinglife Canada.
“Whether it’s playing cards with a group of friends or going to the theatre or a restaurant — those situations tend to have challenging acoustic environments because there's more than one source of sound,” explains Koebel. “When you have hearing loss, it becomes very difficult to distinguish what speech you want to focus on and block out those background sounds.”
People with hearing loss might still be able to hear what’s going on but are losing the ability to distinguish the voice of the one person they want to hear. “They find themselves in situations where they kind of fake their way through it. They laugh when others laugh, but they’re not getting the same enjoyment,” says Koebel. “As a result, these social situations become very tiring because individuals are spending so much of their cognitive resources trying to figure out what's being said. It can be easier to withdraw.”
Recent research bears Koebel out. Studies have shown that uncorrected hearing loss can lead to increased isolation, reduced social activity, and feelings of being excluded, giving rise to symptoms of depression.
Several studies also point to a correlation between hearing loss and loss of cognitive functions. A 2020 report by the Lancet Commission showed that hearing loss is the largest modifiable risk factor against dementia. It found incidence of increased dementia in participants with self-reported hearing problems, except among those using hearing aids.
Similarly, a cross-sectional study found hearing loss was only associated with worse cognition in those not using hearing aids. What’s more, people with moderate hearing loss have three times the risk of dementia.
The good news for anyone experiencing hearing difficulties is that hearing aid technology has advanced to address many of the challenges hearing loss presents. And accessing professional hearing health care is easier than ever with Hearinglife clinics across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland (LML).
“Hearing aids are definitely a lot smarter,” confirms Koebel. “For example, we know the brain needs access to environmental sounds around you, but newer technology is better at amplifying or bringing forward the speech sounds. So, with the right hearing aids you would still have access to those background sounds, but they wouldn’t drown out the voice of the person you want to hear.”
Koebel uses the example of going to an exercise class. In the past, hearing aid technology wouldn’t necessarily pinpoint the instructor’s voice unless they were right in front of you. “Older hearing aids would detect the sounds in front of you, but that doesn't really help if you’re trying to hear your yoga instructor sitting several metres away and off to the side, or when you’re out with a walking buddy and they’re walking beside you.”
Koebel recommends anyone over the age of 60 have their hearing assessed. “There are a lot of people living with hearing loss who don't realize it because it happens so gradually,” she says. “They don't notice they've got the TV up a little bit louder, or they’re asking people to repeat themselves.”
She points out that research consistently shows the benefits of early treatment when you do have hearing loss. The longer the neural pathways between the ears and the brain are not stimulated by sounds, says Koebel, the harder it is to adapt to hearing aids in the future.
Once hearing aids are prescribed to those who need them, the impact on quality of life can be transformative. “I’ve been told I’ve saved marriages,” says Koebel with a laugh. “If someone's always having to repeat themselves or they're constantly misunderstood, it can create a lot of tension and conflict in a relationship.”
She has also heard from grandparents who were able to enjoy seeing — and hearing — their grandson in a school play, and from seniors who have re-engaged in their weekly card games or pickleball matches.
These kinds of stories are why World Hearing Day (March 3, 2024) encourages us to challenge misconceptions and stigma around hearing loss to move closer to ear and hearing care for all. Hearinglife's 2024 theme, “Keep Being You” builds on this message to highlight the role hearing health plays in keeping us connected to the activities and people we enjoy.
“That theme really resonates because you want to be the same person you’ve always been,” says Koebel. “You don't want hearing loss to prevent you from enjoying the activities you love. And you don’t have to — there’s no reason not to keep doing the things that make you, you.”
With Hearinglife clinics in Vancouver and the LML, personalized hearing care is accessible in your neighborhood. This month, better hearing gets more affordable at Hearinglife with up to $1700 off your purchase of a pair of hearing aids. Book an appointment online at hearinglife.ca/british-columbia or call 1-888-514-9515.