You’ve checked a lot of health care boxes: eyeglass prescription up to date, teeth cleaned, annual physical. But wait — did you forget about your ears?
A hearing test is a key part of taking care of your health, according to Dr. Cara Bedore, certified audiologist and owner of Center for Better Hearing in Queensbury. Untreated hearing loss is linked to higher risk of depression and anxiety, social isolation and cognitive loss.
Losing more than your hearing
People with hearing loss often stop doing things they enjoy, like calling friends on the phone, going to movies and concerts, or attending family gatherings. Relationships may suffer, too, when spouses or partners get frustrated by having to repeat themselves or when misunderstandings happen because information isn’t heard correctly.
Don’t wait to have your hearing checked
Most people wait about four years after they notice hearing loss to act on it, Dr. Bedore said. This is a significant reduction in what was once a 10-year average wait, but it’s still too long, according to Dr. Bedore.
“Hearing aid technology has improved, there is greater awareness of the link between hearing loss and overall wellness, and Gen Xers and baby boomers are motivated to keep a high quality of life as long as possible,” she said.
“Some people wait until they retire to enhance their hearing, and many of them say they wish they had been fitted for hearing aids sooner,” she said. “It can be exhausting and stressful to spend so much energy trying to hear.”
Dr. Bedore recommends having a hearing evaluation at age 50 to establish a baseline and then monitoring your hearing annually with follow-up tests.
Sharpen your hearing and your memory
In a 2023 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Medicine researchers analyzed data on about 2,400 older adults and found a clear association between severity of hearing loss and dementia. These findings were consistent with earlier studies suggesting that hearing loss is a contributing factor in dementia.
“Improving your hearing can help your memory,” Dr. Bedore said. “When you hear something accurately, your brain stores it accurately and it’s much easier to recall.”
More bonuses with improved hearing
Being able to connect with friends and loved ones, lessening your risk of dementia, easing anxiety and depression, reducing miscommunication and fewer disputes about a too-loud TV are among the many benefits of enhancing your hearing. “People have told me that after they improve their hearing, they like to go out to a restaurant and be social again because they can follow the conversation,” Dr. Bedore said.
In addition, Dr. Bedore has one Center for Better Hearing client whose improved hearing came with an unexpected boon. “His wife told him he looked younger after he started wearing hearing aids,” she said. “She told him that before, he was scowling all the time when he was concentrating so hard to hear!”
Local, personal service
“At Center for Better Hearing, we provide the best expert care for hearing loss and tinnitus management,” Dr. Bedore said. “We explain the testing procedure and your results, answer all your questions and provide options for you to consider.” Center for Better Hearing participates with most insurance plans, she added.
“We’re locally owned and operated, and our staff has a combined 90 years of experience,” Dr. Bedore said.
Visit the Center for Better Hearing website to learn more. To schedule an appointment for a hearing evaluation, call 518.638.4363.
