Elderly Hearing Loss

Articles on hearing loss in the elderly are legion and most make the point that a loss of hearing in the advanced years of life is a natural occurrence. Some may even go so far as to say that much like changes in the bone structure and also changes in the hairline, a change in the ability to hear should be expected and thus might be considered another one of the signs of aging. While it is true that elderly hearing loss may be an expected event, the sad reality dictates that many senior citizens gradually isolate themselves because of their malady.

Hearing loss in older workers is perhaps one of the most commonly cited reasons why they leave jobs they otherwise enjoy. Leaving a workplace also results in fading away from the social interactions with co-workers that thus far might have made up the lion’s share of the social interactions a senior may have experienced. While some elderly are very active in the community or in the church they are attending, many see the end of the working life as the end of a social life as well.

Aggravating the isolation is a combined vision and hearing loss for elderly persons who suddenly find that not only can they no longer clearly hear when spoken to, but the ability to read store labels and even the paper is gradually waning. It is this segment of the population of those suffering from elderly hearing loss that is at the greatest risks of permanently isolation themselves from friends and even family. Sadly, many family members do not think to realize that the symptoms of elderly hearing loss cause their loved ones to stay indoors and to no longer call, and soon they do not realize that grandma might not have checked in for a week or longer.

While hearing loss in the elderly may be a natural progression of the aging process, it does not have to lead the isolation of the affected individuals! Instead, caregivers, physicians, and family members need to be attuned to the consequences of elderly hearing loss with respect to social interactions. At the same time, the person suffering from elderly hearing loss needs to be proactive about having corrective measures taken, such as being fitted for hearing aids. If both the senior citizens and those with whom they have social interactions realize that elderly hearing loss is a cause for withdrawal, the painful isolations so many individuals in their golden years experience can be greatly diminished.