Centenarians, those 100 years old or older, make up less than 1% of people in the U.S. and because life expectancy is commonly much shorter, this term is often associated with the avoidance of age-related disease and excellent immune function.
To understand the secrets of these “super-agers” researchers attempt to connect dots about what may support a longer life. Cognitive decline and dementia become increasingly more common as we age but for many of these “super-agers” they continue to maintain the cognitive health of those decades younger. To better understand the secrets of a super age, researchers attempt to identify the qualities that contribute to this extended health and clarity of mind. What they have determined is that one aspect which is essential to extended cognitive and physical health is the use of hearing aids.
Hearing Loss as We Age
Hearing loss is not an inevitable part of aging, but our risk certainly goes up as we age. For those of us 60 and older one in four will have hearing loss, but this number will rise to one in three for those 65 and above. By the time we are 75 the risk of hearing loss is one in two. With this understanding, we always recommend annual hearing exams for those of us 60 years and beyond.
The most common treatment for hearing loss are hearing aids. They can’t reverse hearing loss but they can amplify the sounds you struggle with allowing you to hear the people in your life, improving relationships, improving sociability, cognitive health, mobility and so much more. It is no surprise that these amazing digital devices can improve your ability to age gracefully. However, for those of us 70 and older who could benefit from the use of hearing aids, only 30 percent have ever tried them!
Studying Cognitive Super Agers
A recent study on super from the Vrije University in Amsterdam and Published in the American Medical Association’s journal JAMA Network, included 330 centenarians. Over a 4-year period the researchers identified that in these centenarians:
- cognitive functions like decision making and completing tasks were strong.
- Despite a heightened risk for cognitive decline and dementia due to heightened age for these centenarians, cognitive performance remained high.
The researchers theorize that the secret to a long life in these cognitive super agers may be a cognitive reserve which allows a person to adapt to changes that the brain could experience over time.
Link Between Hearing Loss & Cognitive Decline
As the risk of hearing loss increases it is important to be proactive about treatment and prevention. For those who live with untreated hearing loss, they require a higher cognitive load at a younger age. For instance, for those of us already dealing with hearing issues in our 60’s it means years of straining to hear. While sound is collected by the ears, the job is not completed until sounds reach our brain. Hearing loss occurs when there is a barrier preventing sounds from reaching the brain, which means our brain must work harder to hear.
Extensive research shows that untreated hearing loss increases the risk of cognitive decline and the development of dementia. In one prominent study published in the Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, researchers explored cognitive ability over 8 years in 10,107. They found that for those with a mild hearing loss there was a 30% higher risk of dementia. However, for those with a severe hearing loss, the risk was 54% higher than for those with normal hearing.
Prioritize Hearing Health Now!
The sooner you address a hearing loss the better. To find out if hearing aids are right for you, don’t hesitate to contact us today. You may not want to live forever, but you definitely want to enjoy the time you’ve got with clear hearing!