Hearing loss can compromise cognitive ability because the brain must put added effort into understanding speech. Thus, it makes sense that new research indicates that providing individuals with hearing instruments not only helps them hear better, but it also boosts their brain function. When researchers examined people in their 50s and 60s with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (the most common type of permanent hearing loss), they found that those outfitted with hearing instruments had improved brain function. After wearing hearing instruments for eight hours a day, for six months, study subjects had improved their working memory by 14 percent, increased their selective attention (focusing ability) by 20 percent, and accelerated their brains’ processing speed by 0.2 seconds.
All hearing instruments are basically miniature sound systems. Sound is picked up by a microphone, amplified or made louder, then delivered to the ear by means of a tiny loudspeaker. To schedule an appointment, please call EAR & HEARING CLINIC. We are registered members of the College of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists of Ontario. Through education, we aim to eradicate the stigma associated with hearing loss and raise public awareness about the need for prevention and treatment. We regularly conduct presentations on hearing loss and hearing aids for interested groups. “Hear the Sounds of Life.”
