| Undiagnosed deafness can make a person seem | | | | to cover up the fact that they don't know what has |
| forgetful when in fact they have not heard information | | | | been said. This gives the appearance of forgetfulness |
| in the first place. Modern digital hearing aids improve life | | | | or of an elderly person being difficult and changing their |
| quality. | | | | mind arbitrarily. |
| As we age, the senses can gradually deteriorate. An | | | | What Can Be DoneA hearing test will show if there is |
| elderly parent or grandparent may seem increasingly | | | | a problem. The medical professional does an |
| confused, forgetful or difficult. The family is concerned | | | | audiometric assessment using equipment which |
| that that dementia is setting in. A hearing test may | | | | produces sound at different pitches.each ear is tested |
| reveal significant hearing loss. The brain relies on | | | | separatelyhearing is tested at several different |
| information from the senses of sight and hearing. Poor | | | | pitchesusing headphones, a sound is fed to the ear |
| or partial information leads to confusion which gives | | | | under testthe sound starts quiet and gets louderthe |
| the impression of deteriorating brain function. | | | | person being tested pushes a button when they hear |
| Warning signs of Hearing LossWith todays high sound | | | | the sound |
| levels in entertainment, hearing loss is likely to start by | | | | The results display as a graph on a computer showing |
| late middle age. Some warning signs are:difficulty | | | | a how each ear is functioning at different pitches. |
| picking out a conversation against background | | | | Based on this a hearing aid may be recommended. |
| noisecan hear speech but not understand what is | | | | Digital Aids can Help Mental Functioning |
| being saidhigher pitched voices of women and children | | | | Modern digital hearing aids are adjusted by computer |
| are hard to followhigh pitched phones, doorbells not | | | | to compensate for the individual pattern of hearing loss |
| heardneed radio or TV louder than other family | | | | that has showed up in the hearing test. The results can |
| members | | | | be quite dramatic, especially if uncorrected hearing loss |
| Why Speech Becomes Hard to Follow | | | | has been present for years. Suddenly a normal |
| Speech is made up of a mixture of high, medium and | | | | conversation with friends or family is possible. |
| low pitched sounds. Consonants like "s" have high | | | | It takes time to get used to hearing aids. The brain has |
| sounds, vowels like "a" generally have lower sounds. | | | | to re-learn to use the input from the ears. It is worth |
| Hearing loss typically affects the high pitched, or high | | | | the effort. Understanding and relationships improve. |
| frequency sounds. Unfortunately it is the consonants | | | | Arrangements for work or leisure are easier to make. |
| that give words their shape and identity. As hearing | | | | More complex ideas can be discussed, showing |
| deteriorates,it becomes tiring following a lecture or a | | | | mental function is better than it appeared when hearing |
| conversationit is harder to understand films and TV as | | | | loss was uncorrected. |
| bits of dialog get lostpeople appear to be "mumbling" | | | | Hearing aids can be expensive if they are not provided |
| because vowels but not consonants are heard.How | | | | on your country's medical insurance scheme, but they |
| Hearing Loss can Mimic DementiaAs the loss | | | | can make a great improvement to the mental |
| progresses, frequent misunderstandings with friends or | | | | functioning and relationships of a person suffering from |
| family members are likely. The person affected may | | | | hearing loss. |
| develop a habit of saying "yes" or nodding their head, | | | | |