Hearing aid use and dementia

Ed1937

Another paper found to be wrong. I just read an article about hearing aids aiding in the fight about staving off dementia. I posted a link, but I received a message that their robot would not allow the link. First time I've seen that. I'm sure you could find it with a search.

the original paper, “Association between hearing aid use and all-cause and cause-specific dementia: an analysis of the UK Biobank cohort,” in April 2023. This paper said that hearing aids reduce the chances of getting dementia for those with hearing loss. The bottom line shows that those with hearing loss, wearing hearing aids actually increase the chances of getting dementia.

"an error was introduced in the output format setting of their SAS codes (data for people with hearing loss using hearing aids and with hearing loss without using hearing aids were switched), leading to errors in their analysis which render their findings and conclusions false and misleading. "

Seems like you can't trust anything anymore.

ImMaggieMae

Ed, I did a search and see where the study you’re referencing was retracted. But there are a whole bunch of other studies that try to show that hearing loss can contribute to dementia. (I don’t have time to read them all.) It seems to me that the social isolation for people who have hearing problems could contribute to it although I wouldn’t guess that it could actually be a cause.

But I think you’re right about not trusting many of the studies out there anymore. Too many seem to be just about money.

harshedbuzz

Meh.

It's a large bank of pre-existing health data available to researchers for approved uses. Over 9000 research peer-reviewed papers on all kinds of topics have come out of this data base that contains medical and life-style information from 500,000 people in the UK.

This is not a double-blind study; it's looking for trends in a collection of general data that already exists.

1/9000 is wrong because data sets were inverted by human error? Oof. Unfortunate.

I imagine the data on life-style factors like hearing aid use are self-reported which introduces some uncertainty. I would also wonder how many folks part of the cohort but don't report hearing issues-- were he in the UK my DH would surely be a part of that group along with quite a few of our friends.

Here's a study from Team USA that was set up to study this question:

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/hearing-aids-slow-cognitive-decline-people-high-risk#:~:text=Studies%20have%20found%20an%20association%20between%20hearing%20loss,hadn%E2%80%99t%20been%20tested%20in%20a%20large%2C%20randomized%20study.

HB

Ed1937

@ImMaggieMae "But there are a whole bunch of other studies that try to show that hearing loss can contribute to dementia. " I didn't reread the article, but I'm pretty sure it didn't say that hearing loss did not contribute. I think it said it did contribute, but not as much as those wearing hearing aids. As always, I could be wrong. Guess I should read it again.

I read the link from harshedbuzz, then I found that there are dozens of prestigious papers that are retracted, seemingly every year. Yes, I think money has a lot to do with what decides our quality of life.

l7pla1w2

I recently got hearing aids for typical senior high-end hearing loss. I wonder whether DW has hearing loss, because she often needs things to be repeated. I attribute that at least partly to her short-term memory loss, where she can't repeat the sounds in her brain to interpret what was said. She has not had a hearing test, although I think that would be a good idea.

But I wonder. If she's a candidate for hearing aids, how would that go? Would I have to keep prompting her to wear them, to charge them, and so on.

harshedbuzz

@l7pla1w2

The repetition could also be the result of an auditory processing delay, poor working memory or difficulty focusing related to dementia.

Hearing aids are fairly sophisticated technology; by the time many are diagnosed, their ability to learn new technology is gone. If you were to introduce hearing aids you would be the one tasked with inserting/removing, storing them securely and charging daily.

Dad and my friend's mom were used to hearing aids and both did pretty until the later stages when the caregiver had to assume total responsibility for them. My friend's mom plopped hers into a denture bath once and dad lost his fairly often even with help. For a person with pierced ears, Deaf Metal earring/leashes can be really useful in preventing loss.

HB

toolbeltexpert

Well I want to put in my 2 cents fwiw.

I had dated my wife's Alzheimers by the date I got her hearing aides 15 yrs ago. I had got them with the thinking she couldn't remember because she didn't hear. That was not the case however.

The hearing aides were a tremendous help as dw had gotten them early in and she wore them faithfully until she died.

My dw had a significant hearing loss when she finally got them. Over 50% in both ears. I cannot comment on whether they would have made a difference if she had gotten them earlier.

I would say if she had been stage 5 I don't think she would have used them. And I wouldn't recommend buying high priced ones at that stage.

Stewart

BPS

I got my mom hearing aids and sound amplifiers to try and help her but she already had memory issues and I could never get her to use them and she would throw them away because she didn't know what they were for. My wife also has Alzheimers and she has never had any hearing issues, she still hears better then I do.

Bluebird

I have been wondering about this. At my husband’s last doctors visit the doctor did a simple snapping of his fingers next to each ear and my husband couldn’t hear the snap by the one ear. The doctor suggested having his hearing checked. My husband does ask me to repeat things occasionally but not all the time. I haven’t had his hearing checked because I’m not sure he would wear the hearing aids or if he had them, am worried that he would keep taking them out. I hate to get them for my husband and have them sit on the dresser or have him hide them “in a safe place”. He’s around stage 3-4. Are hearing aids worth getting for someone with dementia?

mrahope

I have the same questions re: hearing aids for my DH with dementia. He agrees that he has hearing issues and I think might benefit somewhat. OTOH, after having him randomly lose his dentures, it's like if I get him hearing aids I'm simply adding to the things I have to take care of. I'm considering getting him the lower cost versions of the aids that you can buy over the counter (at least in my state). That way, if he does lose them, replacing them will be a $200 hit, not a $2K one. Has anyone tried this?

Ed1937

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/194113#Comment_194113

I tried the Costco OTC hearing aids, but I don't have dementia (as far as I know). The cheapest aids were around $1500 - $1600. They didn't work for me, but their return policy is great! You have a long period of time when you can return them for whatever reason. Other places probably don't have a return policy anywhere close to theirs.

There are several places online where you can do a free hearing test, and they'll get you in the ballpark. A Google search should find them for you.

Despondent

My DH bought expensive hearing aids maybe 15 years ago. He was not happy with them and was told to come back for an adjustment. He would never had listened to me urging him to return them for even a possible refund. His hearing is much worse now. I asked him if he would consider wearing OTC aids. He took off his eyeglasses, showed them to me and said I have this. I had my answer. People with dementia would not even understand what the purpose of these things were. I didn't waste our money.

harshedbuzz

@Ed1937

Costco does have a terrific return policy. My dad lost one of his hearing aids almost as soon as he went into MC. He died within the 180 day return window and my mom did take the remaining one back for a full refund. Mom lost one of hers within the 2 year replacement window. They couldn't do a straight up replacement because the model was no longer made. The person dispensing said they needed to be the same model as they communicate with each other. They sold her a new hearing aid and gave her the other free as a replacement. They also added the remaining 6 months of the replacement window on the initial pair so that the new ones were both covered for 2 1/2 years.

The prices of the Costco hearing aids tends to increase related to how profound the hearing loss is. Mom's hearing aids were about $1700 but dad's were closer to $2300. His hearing was much worse than hers. Since Costco does have a tech test and dispense, these aren't strictly OTC.

In February 2017, Congress passed a bill that allowed the OTC sale of hearing aids for mild-moderate loss in individuals 18+. My mom's local Rite Aid has them near the pharmacy checkout.

Search results for: 'otc hearing aids' (riteaid.com)

SPin-need

We tried a $400 pair, highly rated, but they were not helpful. Just bought the new AirPods that are FDA approved for mild hearing loss but DH can’t get them in himself and takes them out to look at them and then…. I know now that was an error on my part. I thought ear buds would be easy for him to use and big enough to not get lost. I am hesitant to purchase an expensive pair as I fear it will cause greater confusion. He worries with each new thing that is introduced.

He complains about hearing in one ear but seems to hear just fine when there isn’t a lot of background noise. He can hear me whisper easily enough.

I don’t know when helping will actually make things worse or actually help. It seems so random. Probably because it is.

Any advice?

hiya

we purchased hearing aids for DH probably early stage 4. Within a few months the charger went missing. By time I found the charger, the hearing aids were lost and haven’t been found in over 18 months. If you decide to try a pair, my advice would be try the cheapest pair you can find just to see if they are capable/or with help, use them and put them away. If so, maybe you invest in a better pair but if not, you are not out over $1,000. Good luck.

Carl46

My wife started using hearing aids in 2012, five years before diagnosis with AD. Since then, I have gradually taken over the cleaning etc. of the hearing aids. She lost one pair, but they were due for replacement by our insurance anyway. The copay was about $200. If she ever goes to memory care, the aids will be toast I am sure. My mother's aids didn't last long after she went to NH. For now, putting in the hearing aids is just part of the ritual of helping her get dressed. Shoes on the correct feet, hearing aids in the correct ears, etc.

Dunc1129

Hearing aids were a failure for DW. She complained they were uncomfortable, kept taking them off and throwing them away. Fortunately I had an app that would let me located them. Finally gave up after she flushed them down the toilet.