Recent publicity has drawn attention to cognitive decline and hearing loss.
Cognition is your ‘thinking’ - your ability to learn, process, understand, remember information. A decline in your cognitive ability may be evident, for example, through memory loss, poor attention, or difficulties understanding language.
Cognitive decline is the primary symptom of dementia. Dementia is diagnosed based on memory loss and difficulties in at least one other cognitive function, ie. attention, language, social cognition, that impacts a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. There are many different causes and types of dementia; Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common.
There are over 70,000 New Zealanders living with dementia. More people are diagnosed with dementia each year and there is no cure, so research is looking at ways to slow or delay dementia. Hearing loss is one of the risk factors being investigated.
A number of large studies, published in peer-reviewed journals, have found an association between hearing loss and cognitive decline - whereby in groups of people with more hearing loss, there is more cognitive decline. But the exact cause of the association is unknown. Some other research has also suggested that hearing aids might help reduce dementia risk, but more studies are needed.
Healthy ears and hearing are important for aging well and staying active in the community. Hearing is crucial for communication, staying connected with others, and overall quality of life. If you or someone you know is having trouble hearing, it’s a good idea to get it checked to reduce any negative effects.
The New Zealand Audiological Society (NZAS) released a position statement on the topic of ‘Hearing loss and Cognitive Decline’ in September 2024. NZAS encourages each audiologist and audiometrist member to:
- Raise awareness about the impact of hearing loss to help individuals, families, and communities.
- Continue their education to provide up-to-date, reliable information about the possible causes and impacts of hearing loss, and effective ways to meet an individual’s hearing needs.
If you have concerns about:
- Your hearing: Seek a hearing test at a nearby clinic.
- Any cognitive decline or memory loss: Talk to your GP and visit these websites for further information