In-home Caregiver in San Diego: Hearing Loss and Dementia Are Closely Related

We tend to think of hearing loss as a normal part of aging. The typical in-home caregiver in San Diego gets used to speaking up in order to be heard, and many families do the same. But a new study shows that hearing loss is closely connected to a less common, but more serious, side effect of aging: dementia.

Unmistakable Connections

According to a large-scale research project, those seniors that experience hearing loss are statistically more likely to also develop dementia in time. A senior that does not show symptoms of hearing loss, on the other hand, stands a much better chance of retaining sharp mental faculties as well. If nothing else, this is a finding that should prompt families to recognize hearing loss as a red flag and have their loved ones checked for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, which also seems to be connected with hearing loss.

Cause or Symptom?

This research did not target the cause of the connection between hearing loss and dementia; it only sought to determine whether there is a connection. Theories differ about what the connection means; some scientists think that the same root cause leads to both dementia and hearing loss. Others, however, wonder if the added strain on the brain of a hearing-impaired individual hastens the onset of dementia.

How an In-home Caregiver in San Diego Should Respond

An in-home caregiver in San Diego might be one of the first people to recognize hearing loss in a senior. Instead of simply speaking more loudly, doctors recommend that caregivers and family members try to get a hearing aid for a senior. The added help could possibly slow the development of dementia, and it at least makes life more pleasant for the senior and his or her in-home caregiver in San Diego!