Commentary: Here’s why seniors with hearing loss need to treat it early

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Hearing loss has an adverse impact on not only patients’ quality of life, but also their brains, says ENT surgeon Dr Rebecca Heywood.

SINGAPORE: “I feel very depressed and have low self-esteem. Because I can't hear other peoples’ words clearly, I answer questions incorrectly at gatherings, which prompts ridicule from my friends. I often feel tired from having to concentrate harder on what people are saying.”in both ears felt before she got treated.

Most people do not realise how agonising living with hearing loss can be – and how it is linked to other ailments. Hearing loss is a risk factor for dementia and cognitive decline globally. These findings are alarming considering that 93 per cent of seniors in Singapore have some degree of hearing loss.There are several mechanisms by which hearing loss and cognitive decline are thought to be linked.

The big question that researchers have been asking is whether the damage has already been done, or if treating hearing loss can slow down or reverse cognitive decline. Finally, there is some evidence now that points to the latter. These are all valid concerns and they have been taken on board. In the last decade, access to hearing services has improved through community-based and mobile hearing clinics. There is means-tested government funding available that makes hearing aids affordable. Cochlear implants are subsidised in public hospitals and covered by several insurance companies privately, meaning that these expensive devices are also accessible.

 

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