Hearing-Loss

How To Help Your Senior Parent Cope With Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is common among senior people, and it happens with age. Sometimes it is also referred to as hearing impairment, or deafness. If you are living with a parent who finds it harder to hear, know that this happens to many folks with time. Be patient and seek the help you need. Hearing loss can happen to anyone, but in this post we’re focusing on our seniors and their lives with hearing loss.

What causes hearing loss?

Many factors can cause deafness, but these are possible reasons why some people experience hearing loss.

A noisy work environment

Working with loud machinery and not wearing protective earplugs, or noise cancellation ear muffs, could lead to hearing loss. Sometimes even with the safety equipment, people could still lose some of their hearing.

Rheumatoid arthritis

While it’s easy to assume that arthritis only affects the joints and bones, the truth is, it can also cause loss of hearing. This type is called “Sensorineural hearing loss”. We will explain this in the next point.

Other reasons for loss of hearing include:

    • Ageing
    • Injury to the head
    • Genetics
    • Diseases and certain viruses
    • Hypertension
    • Diabetes
    • Wax build-up

These may change depending on the type of hearing loss the patient has.

3 Types of hearing loss briefly explained

      1. Sensorineral
      2. Conductive
      3. Combination or “mixed”

Sensorineral hearing loss
This affects the middle section (cochlea) of the ear by which the hair cells in that region cannot properly translate audio waves.

Conductive hearing loss
When the sounds do not reach the middle ear from the outer ear, it is known as conductive hearing loss. This can happen because of a wax build-up, fluid build-up due to infection, or damage of the bones in the middle ear (ossicles).

Combination hearing loss
This is a combination of the two mentioned above. Thus it could affect the cochlea as well. It may be due to a severe infection or other form of conductive hearing loss problem.

Can hearing loss be cured?

Hearing loss is often permanent, but treated with the help of hearing aids. Thanks to technology, these devices have become smaller in size and more effective. Depending on the type of hearing loss or deafness, patients may receive specialised surgery to help improve.

Are you living with an elderly parent experiencing hearing loss? Contact Brooklyn Care for more information about quality senior frail care.

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