September is World Alzheimer’s Month

September marks the international effort recognized as World Alzheimer’s Month. Around 5.4 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s disease. It is the sixth-leading cause of death in this country and, among the top 10 causes of death in the United States, Alzheimer’s is the only one that cannot be prevented, cured, or slowed. At Orange County Physicians’ Hearing Services, we want to participate in raising awareness this World Alzheimer’s Month due to connections between untreated hearing loss and dementia – and Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.

Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease

This disease that affects people’s memories also affects their awareness of their surroundings. Not only is it hard for them to retain and make new memories, it can be hard for them to understand where they are—even in the familiarity of their own homes. The advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease can have devastating effects on people’s personalities, and they can become irritable, suspicious and paranoid, even when it comes to friends and loved ones. While Alzheimer’s typically affects older people, new research suggests that younger people, even as young as 30, experience what scientists describe as early-onset Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association reports that early-onset Alzheimer’s may be affecting around 200,000 people under the age of 65 in the United States. While younger people may be experiencing Alzheimer’s, the majority of people suffering from the disease are older. As people age, and as the baby boomer generation reaches 65, around the time when Alzheimer’s is often detected, there is greater need to understand and research Alzheimer’s and to, ideally, cure it. Every 68 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s in this country. By the year 2050, the number of people living with the disease could quadruple and count upwards of 16 million people.

Untreated Hearing Loss & Cognitive Decline

In honor of World Alzheimer’s month, we are thinking about the possible connections between untreated hearing loss, cognitive decline, and Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s Disease International designated September as World Alzheimer’s Month in 2012, and set September 21 as World Alzheimer’s Day. They are active in helping organizations creating awareness around this devastating disease, and part of that work is understanding the relationships between other health issues and cognitive decline. A 2011 study conducted at Johns Hopkins, found that “people with hearing loss were 24% more likely to have Alzheimer’s.” The researchers further suggested that “the worse the hearing loss was, the more likely the person was to develop dementia.” Now, there are no definitive links between untreated hearing loss and Alzheimer’s disease. Hearing loss does not cause Alzheimer’s disease—or any other cognitive decline. This research does highlight the importance of maintaining hearing health, though, as part of an overall healthy lifestyle. There are in fact other serious cognitive issues that researchers are associating with untreated hearing loss. Johns Hopkins researchers published their work in JAMA Internal Medicine, finding that people with hearing loss experience declines in thinking skills more quickly than people not experiencing hearing loss. These studies and other studies like them do not definitively conclude that hearing loss causes Alzheimer’s, but the connections they suggest are important awareness points for people like you. Making an appointment with us for a hearing exam is a great step in tracking your hearing health. If you need hearing assistance, your hearing health professional will help guide you through options. It may be that you need hearing aids, and there are hundreds of technologically advanced devices that offer wireless connectivity, long-lasting battery capabilities, Bluetooth capability, and memory storage that allows you to save hearing settings for unique locations. It is important to explore your susceptibility of Alzheimer’s disease because it not only affects the person suffering from cognitive decline, but affects the whole family. Treating hearing loss will not “cure” cognitive decline or cannot repair the damage of hearing loss or of cognitive decline. That said, being attentive to your hearing health can go a long way in slowing the process of cognitive decline down and ensuring that you have more time to remain connected to the people you love—and more time doing the activities you love. With the support of your friends, family, and hearing health professionals, you will develop the tools to establish communication habits that will not only make you feel connected to your surroundings, and potentially ward off cognitive declines.

Orange County Physicians’ Hearing Services

World Alzheimer’s Month provides an excellent opportunity to take stock of your current health and to have conversations with loved ones about the coming years. Your needs may change, your hearing abilities may change, and your cognitive abilities may change, but knowing you have a team of people working with and for you can go a long way. Contact us to learn more about our hearing health services.