Baycrest

BrainMatters •Fall/Winter 2023 • 7 Marilyn Reed, the practise advisor for Baycrest's audiology department, explains, "When people can't hear well, they often start to avoid social activities. This can lead to feeling isolated and lonely, which isn't good for the brain or overall health. Treating hearing loss could actually reduce the risk of dementia, which makes it a pretty big deal." Today, more than 55 million people worldwide live with dementia. Hearing loss turns out to be a major risk factor, responsible for up to 8 per cent of new dementia cases. However, the Lancet study highlights a potential route for prevention. Early detection of hearing issues allows for quicker and more effective treatment — and if we catch hearing problems early, we can treat them sooner and better. "The interesting thing about the Lancet article is that it shows that we are now paying much more attention to potential risk factors for dementia, because we don't have a cure," Marilyn explains. "In the absence of a cure and given the enormous cost to healthcare, we're now looking at potentially modifiable risk factors. Hearing loss is a risk factor that we can address in middle or later age, which could actually have some impact. If it can help your ability to socialize and feel less isolated, it can have a knock-down effect on other age-related health concerns, such as depression, as well." Treating hearing loss could actually reduce the risk of dementia, which makes it a pretty big deal. Marilyn Reed, practise advisor for Baycrest's audiology department Learn more about the role of sensory loss as a dementia risk factor in Episode 1 of Baycrest's Defy Dementia podcast. Tune in at defydementia.org or anywhere you get your podcasts. Hearing loss develops gradually as we age, so we may not be aware of it. Hearing screening is an important way of identifying hearing loss so we can take steps to do something about it. Even though hearing aids and other hearing help strategies can be very effective, many people wait a whole decade before seeing an audiologist about hearing loss. Baycrest is supporting early detection with a screening tool to help identify hearing loss. This new, online tool is free for anyone to use and only takes about 10 minutes. It asks about issues that can help pinpoint hearing problems, such as whether the user has difficulty hearing over the phone or in noisy places. The answers guide Baycrest's Hearing Services to offer personalized solutions for hearing loss. There's also the option of a phone call with an audiologist to learn more about personalized hearing care options. To access this tool, visit www.baycrest.org/hearing. By tackling hearing issues, we can help older adults stay connected and keep their minds sharp.

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