Hearing aids reduce the risk of falls
Wearing hearing aids can reduce the risk of falls! According to the NHS, around one in 3 adults over 65 and half of people over 80 will have at least one fall a year. While most falls won’t result in serious injury, those that do can cause broken bones as well as much worse health effects.
Studies have shown that older adults with mild hearing loss have double the risk of falling than those without hearing loss. While it’s not yet entirely clear how hearing loss increases the risk of falling, it’s known that hearing and balance are connected because they share a common nerve pathway to the brain.
Recent research by scientists from the University of Colorado shows that using hearing aids to correct hearing loss in older adults may protect them against the risk of falls.
Researchers surveyed 300 people aged 65 and over with hearing loss and found that those who wore hearing aids reported fewer falls – they had about a 50% reduced risk of experiencing a fall compared to people with hearing loss who didn’t wear hearing aids. People who wore hearing aids consistently lowered their chance of falling by up to 65%.
This is certainly another great argument for the benefits of hearing aids and wearing those devices consistently. If you have an older loved one who is prone to falls, hearing loss may be one of the contributing factors. Or it could be why your loved one, who has hearing aids, but wears them inconsistently, experiences falls.
If you have concerns about an older loved one’s hearing, please call our friendly team at The Hearing Clinic for advice and to arrange a hearing test.
