Dementia: Prevention, Intervention, and Care
Call us today on 0141 226 2268 and find out how you take advantage of our FREE limited period Hearing Health Special Offer
Hearing loss link to dementia in new international study
(Alan Hopkirk, Clinical Director of The Invisible Hearing Clinic, 28th July 2018)
Addressing hearing loss can play a major role in preventing dementia, a new international study published in The Lancet (20th July 2017) has found.
Mid-life hearing loss tops nine risk factors that contribute to the risk of dementia.
The Lancet report shows that almost a quarter of the risk that individuals can manage for themselves is linked to hearing. For the first time they raise the importance of addressing this in middle age – not when it has been left untreated to later life and the damage has already been done.
The study says hearing loss can deny people a cognitively rich environment and lead to social isolation and depression, which are among the other potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia.
We’ve been aware of this connection for several years and highlighted it most recently in the run up and during Scotland’s first Hearing and Tinnitus Information Show earlier this year (see STV Glasgow, BBC Radio Scotland and Herald Newspaper – Stigma of Hearing Loss and Dementia where Alan discussed these issues during the various interviews) The Lancet study is the latest in a growing body of evidence that links hearing loss and cognitive decline.
However, this particular report has put the spotlight on the crucial importance of addressing hearing loss at a much earlier age – between 45 and 65. This is much earlier than most discussions have centred on and supports us in advocating early intervention. It also gives us a real opportunity to continue to push for policy changes from government in raising awareness to the public and health professionals alike.
Dementia is the greatest global challenge for health and social care in the 21st century: around 50 million people worldwide have dementia and this number is predicted to triple by 2050. The Lancet Commission on dementia aims to review the best available evidence and produce recommendations on how to best manage, or even prevent, the dementia epidemic.
Dementia is not an inevitable consequence of ageing and the Commission identifies nine potentially modifiable health and lifestyle factors from different phases of life that, if eliminated, might prevent dementia. Although therapies are currently not available to modify the underlying disease process, the Commission outlines pharmacological and social interventions that are able to help manage the manifestations of dementia.
Our Options for Prevention, Intervention and Care
Prevention:
Regular Auditory Health Checks. This should be discussed at your initial screening.*
Intervention:
Act on any early indicators either through the NHS or Privately.*
Maintenance:
Let us help you with advice and as much of a Hearing Care package as suitable.*
Remedial:
Early diagnosis of Dementia allows the opportunity to mediate any hearing loss while the intervention is easy and can contribute to maintaining quality of life. Time is very much of the essence.*
* Advice will vary according to the individual.
As the name suggests The Invisible Hearing Clinic has at its core the goal of eliminating and or compensating for hearing loss in day to day living, both practically and cosmetically!
We do this though a holistic approach to your hearing needs to discuss and advise what is the most suitable solution for you. This can be genuinely “Invisible” hearing or perhaps the most cosmetically appealing traditional hearing solutions.
Lyric is the only 24/7 GENUINELY invisible hearing solution available today (see below) but as independent specialists we also offer the smallest traditional hearing solutions available, contact us now and let us help you decide what is best for you!
Call us today on 0141 226 2268 and find out how you take advantage of our
FREE limited period Hearing Health Special Offer
No one can see how well you can hear 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Call us today on 0141 226 2268 to learn how Lyric can transform your hearing!
