Cognitive Decline linked to Hearing Loss and Cataracts

Back to Blog

I see a lot of patients every week and some are just a little older than I am, others are well into their 80’s, 90’s and beyond, but a strong majority are baby boomers. My parents are both boomers and just interacting with this generation, it’s become quite clear, that one of their biggest fears regarding aging, is that of developing cognitive decline, dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Being in the hearing health industry, I get a new research and studies come through my inbox all the time. One that caught my eye recently was from the University of Manchester in the UK. According to the doctors involved in the research, their findings reveal that hearing assistance devices and cataract surgery are strongly linked to a slower rate of age related cognitive decline, which affects memory and thinking skills. Furthermore, they found that the decline is slowed after the patients hearing and sight are improved. In fact, the rate of decline was 75% less following the adoption of these hearing mechanisms. There are numerous studies that show similar data and results, and more and more research is being conducted all the time.

One thing is clear: our bodies are a system. You cannot neglect one area without it affecting other areas. My point is this. If you suspect an issue with your hearing (or maybe someone else suspects a problem with your hearing 😉 Get it checked. Hearing tests are typically free of charge at most offices, including ours. Take care! You can read the full article here https://bit.ly/2J7j4IU