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A new study suggests that a single small device can make a big difference in the lives of older people, but few of them benefit from the useful gadget.
People aged 66 and older who received a hearing aid soon after being diagnosed with hearing loss were less likely to be first diagnosed with dementia or depression, or injured by a fall, during the next three years, published a study published Thursday by the journal of the American Society of Geriatrics found.
Researchers at the University of Michigan reviewed insurance data from nearly 115,000 Michigan residents, whose insurance covered a portion of the cost of hearing aids. The study found that the risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, is 18% lower in people who get hearing aids, less than three years after the diagnosis of hearing loss. The risk of diagnosis of depression was 11% lower and the risk of being injured during a fall, 13% lower.
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"Although it can not be said that hearing aids prevent these conditions, a delay in the onset of dementia, depression and anxiety, as well as the risk of serious falls , could be significant for both the patient and the costs borne by the Medicare system, "said Elham Mahmoudi, a health economist from the University of Michigan who led the study.
People with hearing loss may have higher rates of dementia, depression and injury due to falls for a variety of reasons, according to the researchers, including decreased social interaction, loss of balance, and less brain stimulation.
Although their insurance covers part of the costs, only 12% of people in the Michigan study received hearing aids after being diagnosed with hearing loss. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, people wait an average of 10 years to repair their hearing loss, sometimes because they do not like the appearance of hearing aids or do not want to feel "old".
Cost is another hurdle, but could become less of a hindrance next year when over-the-counter hearing aids will be available under a law passed in 2017. OTC hearing aids should be cheaper, but they are only designed to help you. mild or moderate hearing loss, according to AARP.
Medicare, the government's insurance program for people 65 years and older, does not pay for hearing aids, which cost between $ 1,000 and $ 4,000, according to the Hearing Industry Association, the hearing aid manufacturer's professional group .
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The Michigan study found disparities among the people most likely to get a hearing aid: 13.3% of men with hearing loss received it, compared to 11.3% of women. Only 6.5% of people of Latin American descent received hearing aids, compared to 9.8% of African-Americans and 13.6% of whites.
The study builds on previous research that had identified a link, even though it was not necessarily causal, between hearing loss and dementia.
According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, hearing impaired people earn an average of $ 20,000 less per year than people who use hearing aids or cochlear implants.
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