According to the World Health Organization (WHO), by 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people will experience hearing loss or impairment. Presently, more than 1 in 4 people over the age of 60 experience disabling hearing impairment.
Hearing loss can result in isolation, communication difficulties and reduced alertness, among other impacts. And all of this can lead to greater feelings of loneliness, something more than a third of seniors have reported experiencing.
What’s worse, research shows this combination of hearing loss and loneliness can open the door to one of the most frightening age-related ailments….
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Loneliness and hearing loss accelerate memory decline
Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) analyzed data from 33,000 older European adults participating in the large-scale Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to study the combined impact of hearing loss and loneliness on memory.
Since 2002, participants have been surveyed every two years on various aspects of their daily lives, including activities, social connections and perceptions. They also undergo tests on cognitive function.
Using the data, the researchers identified three profiles based on the degree of social isolation and perceived loneliness:
- Individuals who are socially isolated and feel lonely
- Individuals who are not socially isolated but still feel lonely
- Individuals who are socially isolated but do not feel lonely
Then, the researchers examined whether these different profiles experienced cognitive decline differently, depending on the type of perceived isolation and the degree of hearing loss. Previous research has linked hearing impairment to as much as a two to three times higher risk of cognitive decline.
The results were sobering. ‘‘We found that people who were not socially isolated but who felt lonely saw their cognitive decline accelerate when they were deaf,’’ says Matthias Kliegel, a UNIGE professor and co-author of the study.
In other words, the findings show hearing loss speeds up cognitive decline particularly among individuals who feel lonely — regardless of whether they’re socially isolated.
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Addressing hearing loss and loneliness
The study results support the importance of addressing both hearing loss and loneliness in efforts to prevent cognitive decline. This is particularly critical for people who are not socially isolated but still feel lonely. In such cases, a simple intervention like using a hearing aid may be enough to help them engage more fully socially.
“These individuals are already socially integrated, so it’s a matter of removing a sensory barrier in order to reinforce their engagement and protect their cognitive health,” says Charikleia Lampraki, postdoctoral researcher at UNIGE and first author of the study.
If you find yourself experiencing hearing impairment and feeling lonely as a result, talk with your doctor about getting a hearing aid. Once you’re able to hear better, it can really help with interacting with people socially.
If your hearing has been corrected but you’re still experiencing loneliness, here are some steps you can take to engage more socially:
- Mindfulness and tai chi: Meditation and tai chi practices have both led to significant improvement in loneliness scores. Other studies have found tai chi can be effective in relieving symptoms of depression in older adults. (Not to mention it’s great exercise!)
- Pets (real or robotic): Having a pet has been proven to reduce loneliness in seniors. If you can’t have a flesh-and-blood pet, even a robotic pet has shown to be just as effective at alleviating those lonely feelings.
- Talking about art (or making it): Simply describing a painting and the feelings, memories and thoughts it evokes, was found to lower loneliness scores. And I know from my own mother’s experience that she feels a lot less lonely when she creates art — especially as part of a class at her senior center.
- Indoor gardening: Caring for plants can be just as rewarding as caring for pets or people. A study of an indoor gardening program in a nursing home showed a decrease in loneliness scores among residents who participated.
Sources:
The silent threat: How hearing loss and loneliness are fueling memory decline — ScienceDaily
Profiles of social isolation and loneliness as moderators of the longitudinal association between uncorrected hearing impairment and cognitive aging — Communications Psychology
Addressing Hearing Loss May Reduce Isolation Among the Elderly — NYU Langone Health
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