Will the hearing impairment of the elderly have a great impact?
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Will hearing impairment have a great impact on the elderly?
Although hearing impairment is a common chronic disease that does not affect life span, it has a great impact on the quality of life of the elderly. It will have adverse effects on the elderly's cognitive ability, emotion, behavior and even mental health. Such as feeling depressed, not wanting to communicate, living alone, suspicious and irritable, etc., and having disharmony with family members, so the hearing loss of the elderly cannot be ignored.Hearing loss is a common manifestation of the gradual decline of physical function in the elderly, but it does not mean that all elderly people must have poor hearing. There are degrees of difference. Hearing loss in the elderly is not only related to age, but also has other comprehensive and complex causes. As the age increases, the elderly may suffer from hearing loss due to some chronic diseases; it may also occur in childhood or middle-aged people due to various otological diseases that cause hearing loss, such as otitis media. Therefore, when age is combined with disease factors, the degree of hearing loss in the elderly will be more severe than that in the elderly of the same age.
Hearing loss that seems painless can actually have many negative impacts on the health and safety of the elderly.
▪ Failure to hear knocks on doors, sirens, and car horns may lead to safety accidents.
▪ Poor communication with neighbors, no longer actively participating in recreational activities, being alone at home, feeling depressed, experiencing anxiety and depression.
▪ Being withdrawn, isolated, anxious and depressed can accelerate cognitive decline and increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
▪ The more severe the hearing loss, the higher the risk of falling.
Wearing hearing aids is beneficial to overall (physical, mental) health. Study finds wearing hearing aids reduces risk of Alzheimer's disease, anxiety or depression by 18%The risk of diabetes is reduced by 11% and the risk related to falls is reduced by 13%. Healthy hearing allows the elderly to maintain their ability to live independently, do the things they want to do and enjoy, and have a higher quality of life.
Some studies have shown that the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease in the elderly is related to hearing loss to a certain extent. Therefore, when an elderly person develops hearing impairment, family members should take the elderly person to see a doctor promptly. For the elderly who need to wear hearing aids but do not cooperate, family members must not condone them. They should advise the elderly to follow the doctor's instructions and wear hearing aids scientifically.