Comfort Keepers In Home Elderly Care: Seniors and Hearing Loss in Lancaster, CA
Does your senior loved one have issues with hearing loss in Lancaster, CA? Comfort Keepers in home elderly care offers the following tips for older adults regarding hearing loss
According to the Hearing Loss Association of America, one out of three people has hearing loss at age 65. The inability to perceive the normal range of sounds is known as hearing loss while deafness is the inability to understand speech through hearing even when sound is amplified.
Our in home elderly care providers recognize that all too often older adults recognize that they have a hearing issue but do not tell anyone because they are embarrassed. Other times, seniors are not aware they are experiencing hearing loss. Due to the fact that hearing loss can get worse if it is left untreated, it’s essential for seniors to treat their hearing impairment as soon as they realize they have it. Below our elderly care providers offer the following symptoms that may indicate that your older loved one has a hearing problem.
- Challenges understanding speech in a noisy atmosphere
- Difficulty hearing the difference between the “th” and “s” sound
- Asking people to repeat themselves
- Ringing or rushing sounds in the ears
- Turning up radio or television volume louder than usual
- Missing words or phrases in conversations over the phone
- The perception that others are mumbling and not speaking clearly
In home elderly care providers think you should encourage your senior loved one to visit the doctor if you believe that they are demonstrating some of the symptoms of hearing loss or deafness. A doctor can perform a physical exam to rule out other causes of hearing loss and look inside the ears with an otoscope. Your senior may be referred to an audiologist who can conduct a hearing test to determine the extent of the hearing loss so that an appropriate treatment plan can be designed. Some examples of treatment options for hearing loss and deafness include:
- Hearing aids to help seniors hear better
- Cochlear implants which are surgically implanted and can make sounds louder
- Assistive devices such as telephone amplifier to make everyday life easier
- Lessons in lip reading or sign language for older adults with more severe hearing loss
In addition, seniors with hearing loss may benefit from in home care services. Through in home elderly care services, they can gain access to a friendly and experienced caregiver who can support them with personal care tasks like bathing and grooming and household chores like grocery shopping and meal preparation. An in home elderly care provider can also promote socialization activities so that seniors with hearing loss or deafness can prevent loneliness, depression, social isolation, and the other serious issues associated with age-related hearing loss.
