HJNO Nov/Dec 2022

48 NOV / DEC 2022 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS COLUMN  SENIOR HEALTH ALTHOUGH hearing loss is perceived as a huge problem for individuals, it is ranked as one of the least addressed conditions among a sample of 1,250 adults ranging from age 50 to 80 years according to a na- tional cross-sectional survey study pub- lished in Otology & Neurotology . 1 The adults surveyed viewed annual physical exams, eye exams, cholesterol tests, and having their PETs examined twice as important as getting their hearing assessed. Having worked in senior living for over 20 years, I often hear, “There is nothing wrong with my hearing.” It took years for my mother to convince my 75-year-old father to get his hearing checked because she was get- ting tired of repeating herself. A represen- tative from a hearing aid company visited an antique car club that my parents belong to, and that is when he finally agreed to be assessed. Currently, he wears hearing aids regularly, which has improved the quality of life for both of my parents. Through my experience of working with older adults, I believe if individuals had more knowledge and understanding of hearing loss and were made more aware of treatable op- tions, there would be a heightened aware- ness in recognizing the problem and doing something about it. Do you sometimes think people are mumbling or not speaking clearly? Do you feel like you frequently ask people to repeat themselves? Are you reluctant to meet new people because you are afraid that you won’t hear them? These are just a few quick test questions from the American Academy of Audiology you can ask yourself to better understand what is considered a “normal” hearing level and what is not. 2 As we age, our bodies change in many ways including hearing. Hearing loss can be caused by numerous factors including age, where changes in the ear or auditory nerve may change over time, also known as presbycusis. Other factors contributing to hearing loss are damaged hearing nerves, fluid or earwax buildup, infections, injury, or bone abnormalities. 3 Whether hearing loss is caused by age or another condition, hearing loss can make it difficult for an individual to com- municate and tolerate certain noises or sounds, which can lead to isolation, affect- ing quality of life. Quality of life is directly impacted by a person’s health and can in- fluence how they feel about themselves, physically, cognitively, and socially, as well as how satisfied they are with life. Typi- cal comments about quality of life among Do You Hear What I Hear? UNDERSTANDING HEARING LOSS AMONG OLDER ADULTS