Hearing and quality of life in older adults

Age-related hearing loss – also called presbycusis – is very common; in fact, most adults will experience presbycusis at some point in their lives, especially when they are over fifty years old. Hearing loss is not just an inconvenience; it can affect someone’s mental health and social life, severely impacting life quality. Lifestyle changes and hearing devices are the best response.  

In this article, you can find out more about how age-related hearing loss impacts people in later life and how lifestyle changes and hearing devices can improve their life quality significantly. There are numerous key facts about presbycusis that can help you understand the bigger picture of the condition, including:

• Presbycusis is the medical term for age-related hearing loss in older adults
• Stress and toxins are free radicals that contribute to the presbycusis process
• Presbycusis can create social issues and mental health issues in older adults 
• The best responses to presbycusis are lifestyle changes and hearing devices

Read on to find out more about what you can do to reduce the known symptoms of presbycusis.   

What is Presbycusis? 

Presbycusis is the medical term for age-related hearing loss. Age-related hearing loss comes on gradually and can be caused by a range of factors, including lifestyle patterns, genetic factors and how you protect your ears over time. The effects of presbycusis can be reduced when you look after your hearing health, change your diet, or wear ear protection in loud environments. 

Although presbycusis is common and treatable, it can still have a significant impact on someone’s quality of life. Since the onset of age-related hearing loss is gradual, someone might feel isolated and disconnected in the short term, which can lead to depression and anxiety.    

Hearing in Older Adults 

Free radicals are stress and toxin molecules that inhabit a cell and eventually cause oxidation. These free radicals – that affect a person due to lifestyle and diet choices – are responsible for the aging process and for age-related hearing loss. When the cilia hairs – tiny hair cells in the inner ear – start to break down, it reduces the brain’s capacity to detect and translate sound. 

As you might imagine, the life quality of older adults is significantly reduced due to age-related hearing loss. Older adults have other issues to contend with, like mobility issues, so communicating is even more important. A hearing aid device can significantly improve hearing.  

Social Issues of Hearing Loss 

People with hearing loss experience social issues because of an inability to take part in conversations and social events. In many cases, a person will choose isolation rather than the embarrassment and awkwardness of mishearing what someone has said or getting it wrong.

Social issues from hearing loss can then create mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and other neurological conditions. In older people, this is particularly concerning because they might not have a local support network or rely on online groups for their social interactions. Needless to say, improved hearing using a device can improve their life quality.

Personal Issues of Hearing Loss

Age-related hearing loss comes on gradually and imperceptibly, so a person might not notice the reduced quality or disappearance of certain background noises. However, they might notice they are increasing the volume of the television or mishearing what people are saying; they might also experience some stress and anxiety from the embarrassment of mishearing people.

These personal issues caused by age-related hearing loss can be avoided. The best response to presbycusis is prevention which is why people should take better care of their hearing throughout their lives; however, a quality hearing device can resolve many personal issues. 

Best Response to Presbycusis 

Presbycusis might be unavoidable eventually; then again, some people have good-quality hearing until the end. If you want to maintain quality hearing for as long as possible, it makes sense to change your lifestyle habits today and remind yourself of your general hearing health.

To protect your hearing against presbycusis, you need to avoid loud noises in your environment and listen to media at an acceptable level – normally, media devices tell you when you are listening to them at an unacceptable level.

Presbycusis might be unavoidable at some point in your life, but you always have some effective ways to respond. Whether you change your lifestyle or invest in a hearing device, you can maintain your quality life. Contact GL Wyeno Hearing Specialists PC at (402) 463-2431 to gain a better understanding of presbycusis and the most common treatment methods.