According to the National Institute on Aging, about 1 in 3 seniors between the ages of 65 and 74 have hearing loss, while over half of those aged 75+ have hearing loss. With those numbers, it’s not hard to see just how common it is for seniors to lose their hearing as they age.
While age-related hearing loss is a frequent problem, it can be hard for seniors to admit to having it. Many seniors feel defeated when they realize they have trouble hearing, but not all seniors may even notice that they’re suffering from hearing loss. In these cases, you might have to try to suss it out on your own. We offer some insights into what age-related hearing loss is, how to tell if someone might have it, and what to do if your elderly loved one has it.
How Does Age-Related Hearing Loss Happen?
Age-related hearing loss, medically referred to as presbycusis, is a type of hearing loss connected to aging. This type of hearing loss occurs in both ears and gradually worsens over time. Presbycusis can take place if an older adult experiences changes in the inner ear, middle ear, or nerve pathways that lead to the brain.
Additionally, the elderly can suffer hearing loss from long-term exposure to loud sounds, infections, smoking, heart disease, and even some medications.
The Signs of Elderly Hearing Loss
To help you stay on the lookout for age-related hearing loss, you’ll need to know what the signs are. Some of the most common indications of hearing loss include:
- High television volume
- Complaints that people are mumbling
- Inability to follow a conversation with background noise
- Trouble hearing high pitched sounds
- Ringing in the ear
- Difficulty hearing the voices of women or children
- Asking people to repeat themselves
- Dizziness
- Not hearing over the phone well or even avoiding phone calls
The Next Steps
If you suspect that your aging family member is starting to suffer from hearing loss, the best thing you can do is have them meet with a professional. An audiologist can run a hearing test to determine if your loved one does have hearing loss.
1. Diagnosing Hearing Loss
It is possible that your senior isn’t losing their hearing but has some other reason for their hearing loss symptoms. If that’s the case, the audiologist will likely be able to give some explanations for the perceived hearing loss. However, if your loved one does have a degree of hearing loss, the audiologist will be able to help you both with the next steps.
When your loved one meets with an audiologist, they’ll be able to learn how much hearing loss they’ve suffered. Additionally, an audiologist can give you the best idea of what treatments might work best for your elderly family member.
2. Treating Senior Hearing Loss
Once your aging loved one has been diagnosed with age-related hearing loss, you may face several treatment options. Your senior’s doctor or audiologist should let you know which treatments are best for the situation. Some of the typical ways of treating presbycusis include:
- Getting hearing aids
- Installing alert systems for doorbells, smoke detectors, and alarm clocks
- Adding amplifiers and speech-to-text to devices
- Receiving a cochlear implant
3. Preventing Further Hearing Loss
There are various things you and your senior can do to help keep their hearing from worsening. Some of the simplest things you can do to help include:
- Turning off the TV when they aren’t watching
- Not sitting by televisions, the kitchen, or live music when dining out
- Avoiding loud noises
- Managing their blood sugar if they have diabetes
- Wearing ear protection in areas with a lot of noise
We also recommend these preventative measures even if your elderly loved one does not currently suffer from hearing loss.
Let Us Help You Take Care of Seniors with Hearing Loss
If you find your elderly family member constantly asking for you to repeat yourself or you’ve noticed that their TV gets louder every time you visit, they may have age-related hearing loss. Note any signs that they’re losing their hearing, especially if it seems to get worse over time. Once you recognize the symptoms of hearing loss in your loved one, it’s best to take them to a hearing specialist to determine if and how badly they have hearing loss. Although a diagnosis of age-related hearing loss may be disheartening at first, it can lead to answers, relief, and helpful treatments.
If you need help taking care of an aging loved one with hearing loss, turn to Visiting Angels in St. George, Utah. We provide care for all levels of needs, from part-time respite care and social care to personal care and more. Contact us today to set an appointment with our senior care experts!