If you have a senior loved one in your life, you know that hearing loss is not only a physical issue, but can become an emotional one.
For one thing, until the hearing loss is diagnosed, it may seem as if your loved one is not listening to you or not doing what you ask. Even after a diagnosis, it can be very frustrating to continually repeat yourself or have a loved one not understanding your words. Hearing aids, of course, can do wonders, but many elderly don’t wear them, lose them, or do not have the volume properly set. Therefore it is important for those around them to recognize the signs of hearing issues, and to understand the challenges.
Understanding Hearing Loss for Seniors
Most people will experience some level of hearing loss in their lifetimes to varying degrees – most often as a part of the aging process. In fact, hearing loss is a serious problem in the elder population, and is considered to be the third most common affliction (behind heart disease and arthritis.)
Because hearing loss is an invisible ailment, it can often be missed. From the outside in, those surrounding the one losing their hearing so nothing physical to indicate there is a problem. However, the senior may begin to manifest moments of confusion, changes in personality, and emotional mood swings. In fact, the psychological effects can be so marked that you may think your loved one is suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
Did You Know? Hearing loss can also be the result of exposure to loud noises in younger people, but most often is seen as the seniors body ages.
Seniors who held certain jobs throughout their lives may suffer from progressive hearing loss more frequently than others. These jobs may have included the utilization of lawn mowers, heavy equipment, or loud motors; or those in the military or law enforcement who have heard many explosions or gunshots over the course of their career. Since the 1980s, many have listened to loud music through earphones, directly into the ear drum, and hearing loss is expected to rise based upon this phenomenon.
Those who are experiencing hearing loss may be able to trace it to other causes, such as earwax buildup, improper ear cleaning, items which are obstructing the ear canal, undiagnosed ruptured eardrums, or other middle or inner ear conditions.
The Emotional Aspect of Hearing Issues
Aside from the medical problems which can occur due to hearing loss, it can also trigger emotional issues in senior citizens who can begin to feel isolated and cut off. Many seniors are embarrassed to admit that they cannot hear very well, and try to piece together what people are saying to them (often getting it wrong). This can cause them to act defensively, or to get angry at those trying to communicate with them. They are also likely to begin to avoid personal contact of social gatherings, which can be especially detrimental in an assisted living scenario. however, the good news is that the assisted living professionals are well-trained in understanding and recognizing the patterns of behavior often associated with hearing loss, and can assist in getting the help they need.
At A Banyan ResidenceA Banyan ResidenceA Banyan Residence, we take compassionate and attentive care of your loved one. If you are looking for assisted living or memory care in the Venice area, give us a call today for a tour today.
