Poor Hearing May Prevent Older Adults From Actively Participating in Their Healthcare

A study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found almost half of 13,940 adults 65 and older reported difficulty hearing, and those reporting difficulty also had lower levels of active participation in their healthcare, according to News-Medical . Compared with individuals reporting "no trouble" hearing, those reporting "some trouble" had a 42 percent higher risk of less participation, while the comparable risk increase was 70 percent for those with "a lot of trouble" hearing. The investigators noted clinicians' awareness of hearing loss, and the use of simple steps to improve communication, could help older adults more actively participate. "Poor hearing puts individuals at risk for poor outcomes," said New York University's Jan Blustein. "For example, people with hearing loss may be unable to understand their doctor when she explains medication changes. Attending to hearing loss could pay off in greater ... involvement in care and better health."