Hearing loss and cognitive decline

I think you are correct about hearing loss being related to cognitive decline. Seeing an ENT is on my list, but need to address physical disability w/back first. Can’t seem to address more than one issue at a time.

@anne23anna I encourage you to have your hearing checked by an audiologist as soon as possible. The appearance of cognitive issues related to hearing loss is often the result of poor hearing rather than cognitive decline. People with hearing loss, in most instances can 'hear', but have difficulty 'understanding' speech. That can easily lead to responding out of context in a conversation. It is embarrassing to be told what you said was totally 'off the wall'. When that becomes a person's reality, it is easy for them to stop doing things they've always enjoyed.

It is typical for a hard of hearing person to need up to 5 seconds to respond to a simple question, especially one that is not expected since the brain has to consider the options for response in that question. 5 seconds feels like 5 minutes to the person who is waiting for an answer. This is frustrating for both parties.

Psychologically, when this happens frequently, the person with HL often pulls away from socializing in settings where there is background noise like other conversations in the same area. Social isolation can lead to depression. Everything can go down hill. The fact that hearing loss comes with a whole set of stigmas often keeps people from using hearing aids.

Most of the current research on this issue suggests that cognitive decline may occur when the hearing loss goes untreated.

Do you know that the National Institutes of Health estimates that nearly 50 million people in the USA have some degree of hearing loss?

@anne23anna I encourage you to have your hearing checked by an audiologist as soon as possible. The appearance of cognitive issues related to hearing loss is often the result of poor hearing rather than cognitive decline. People with hearing loss, in most instances can 'hear', but have difficulty 'understanding' speech. That can easily lead to responding out of context in a conversation. It is embarrassing to be told what you said was totally 'off the wall'. When that becomes a person's reality, it is easy for them to stop doing things they've always enjoyed.

It is typical for a hard of hearing person to need up to 5 seconds to respond to a simple question, especially one that is not expected since the brain has to consider the options for response in that question. 5 seconds feels like 5 minutes to the person who is waiting for an answer. This is frustrating for both parties.

Psychologically, when this happens frequently, the person with HL often pulls away from socializing in settings where there is background noise like other conversations in the same area. Social isolation can lead to depression. Everything can go down hill. The fact that hearing loss comes with a whole set of stigmas often keeps people from using hearing aids.

Most of the current research on this issue suggests that cognitive decline may occur when the hearing loss goes untreated.

Do you know that the National Institutes of Health estimates that nearly 50 million people in the USA have some degree of hearing loss?

I have Bluetooth aids adjustable with either top buttons on the hearing aids or digitally on my headphones.
I don’t know what else to do. A simple conversation with people who have “normal” hearing is atrocious.
I am frequently ignored unless I practically shout. I. Find it rude to shout at friends but it is what it is.
3 or 4 times I keep quiet because I feel ignored.
You must know how it feels to say something in a crowd at dinner with no response so I don’t participate

I was examined by an ENT and I have mild cognitive impairment and vertigo. My hearing loss resulted in my having to wear hearing aids. My vertigo therapy didn’t work. So this was abut 6 years ago.
I can’t wear my hearing aids because I wear eyeglasses and they constantly compete for ear space at the top of my ear with my eyeglasses.
My hearing is a little bit off. I have a hard time keeping up with people talking to me or just talking.
How do you keep hearing aids from sliding off your ears? I don’t wear my brand new hearing aids anymore because of this issue. My glasses either sit on the back of the hearing aids pushing them forward or sliding down my ears and getting all crooked.

Unfortunately the eyeglasses won out and my hearing aids are sitting in their case. I haven’t worn hearing aids in a long time and just deal with the lack of hearing properly.
I was tested for dementia at a memory center hospital and my tests were fine. No dementia or altzheimers but I was diagnosed with a mild cognitive impairment. I don’t know what the solution is. I was thinking of in-the -ear hearing aids but they are super expensive.