Comfort Keepers Home Care Services in San Jose, CA: Seniors and Hearing Loss

Does your senior loved one suffer from hearing loss in San Jose, CA? Our home care services hope the following tips and tricks help!

One out of every three seniors who are age 65 or older is coping with hearing loss, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America. While hearing loss is defined as the reduced ability to hear the sound, deafness is the complete inability to hear the sound. Home care services warn that although hearing loss and deafness can occur at any age, these conditions are most prevalent among the senior population. 

Seniors with hearing loss or deafness often feel uncomfortable in social situations like birthday parties or community fairs and festivals. When this happens, they may isolate themselves from others and suffer from frustration, loneliness, and even depression. Therefore, older adults with hearing loss or deafness should seek treatment as soon as possible. Home care services know that many seniors do not admit or know of their hearing issue, you should be on the lookout for the following common symptoms of hearing loss and deafness.

• Speaking loudly
• Missing the doorbell, phone calls or interactions with loved ones
• Tinnitus or ringing in the ears
• Cupping hands behind ears
• Constantly turning up the volume of the radio or television
• Frequently asking others to repeat themselves
• Responding inappropriately in conversations
• The perception that others mumble when they speak

If you notice any of these symptoms in your senior, you should make sure they visit their primary care physician who may check to see if their ear canal is blocked or if they have an infection. They may also use a tuning fork to find out if the hearing loss is conductive or sensorineural or refer your senior to an audiologist who can perform a comprehensive hearing test. Here our home care services professionals list several of the most popular treatments that can help a senior with hearing loss or deafness:

• Hearing aids that will drastically improve an older adult’s hearing
• Cochlear implants which are electronic devices that work the flawed parts of the inner ear to send sound signals to the brain
• Assistive listening devices that are amplifiers designed to bring sound directly into a senior’s ear and separate speech from background noise
• Sign language or lip reading classes for seniors with more severe hearing challenges

Additionally, home care services can help seniors who are facing hearing loss or deafness by encouraging them to leave their homes and spend time with loved ones so that they can truly make the most out of their golden years. Home care can also help them complete everyday tasks and live a more independent lifestyle.