The Ultimate Guide to Elderly Hearing Loss

Many senior citizens lose their hearing. Sometimes, it is due to a disease or other health condition. However, it can be caused by getting older, too. In addition, some hearing loss happens slowly over time and other types happen gradually. It is important for you as a family caregiver and for their home care assistance providers to learn as much as they can about elderly hearing loss. This guide can provide you with the information you need.

Sudden or Gradual Hearing Loss

Home Care Assistance Hawthorne NJ - The Ultimate Guide to Elderly Hearing Loss

Home Care Assistance Hawthorne NJ – The Ultimate Guide to Elderly Hearing Loss

As noted above, many senior citizens lose their hearing over time and others lose it suddenly. If your elderly loved one is losing hearing over time, it is likely due to them getting older. They may need hearing aids or other hearing assistance devices to help them hear better. If they suddenly lose their hearing, you or a home care assistance provider needs to get them medical attention as this could be the result of something more serious.

Paying Attention

One of the things that family caregivers need to do is to pay attention to the amount or severity of hearing loss that your elderly loved one is experiencing. For example, if your elderly loved one was only having difficulties hearing you or a home care assistance provider sometimes and now it is every time you speak to them, it would be good to have their hearing reassessed.

Physical and Psychological Hearing Loss

It is also important to learn about the physical and psychological effects of hearing loss on the elderly. We all know that hearing loss affects a person’s hearing, but how else does it affect them. Some of the other issues that your elderly loved one may have if they struggle with hearing loss include:

  • Feeling isolated
  • Less likely to participate in activities or hobbies
  • Irritability
  • Getting anxious when having to talk to people
  • Avoiding phone calls

You need to recognize these issues and talk to your elderly loved one about them. By doing so, you can make a plan to ensure that your elderly loved one gets the help needed, so they can hear as much as possible. There are many devices and other resources that can help to enhance hearing for the elderly.

What You or Home Care Assistance Aides Observe

The ultimate guide to elderly hearing loss that you read here today will hopefully help you to recognize hearing loss issues in your elderly loved one. If you or a home care assistance provider do notice they are experiencing new or worsening hearing loss, it is important to have them get a hearing evaluation done. Even if they have already done this, but things got worse with their hearing, it should be done again. There may be something else going on that needs to be diagnosed or addressed. You or a home care assistance provider can take your elderly loved one to their hearing loss doctor’s appointments.

Source: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hearing-loss-common-problem-older-adults#:~:text=Presbycusis%2C%20or%20age%2Drelated%20hearing,hear%20what%20others%20are%20saying.

If you or a senior family member are considering hiring Home Care Assistance Services in Hawthorne NJ, please contact the caring staff at Caring Solutions Home Care LLC. In-home senior care servicing Bergen & Passaic Counties. Call today at (973) 427-3553.

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Pamela DelColle, RN, CCRN