Does poor hearing increase the risk of dementia? The importance of treating hearing loss

My husband's hearing is getting worse, but he refuses to wear a hearing aid – he says it's 'for old people'. I read that deafness increases the risk of dementia. Is that true?

It's true, and it's one of the areas where taking action is most straightforward: there's an identifiable problem, and there's a solution you can buy and use.

What the WHO says

The guidelines recommend that hearing aids can be offered to adults with hearing loss, specifically to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia (conditional recommendation, low certainty – but it's one of the few interventions with a dedicated recommendation and a plausible, well-described mechanism). Furthermore, screening and management of hearing loss should be offered generally, as part of care for older people.

Why poor hearing affects the brain

Three likely pathways: the constant effort to decode what is heard drains resources from other cognitive functions; those with poor hearing tend to isolate themselves (and isolation is itself a risk factor); and the lack of auditory stimulation can contribute to the decline of corresponding brain areas. Treating hearing loss addresses all three fronts simultaneously.

How to help someone who refuses

Your husband's resistance is common – and usually yields more to experience than to arguments. Suggest just a hearing assessment, without commitment ("just to see how you are, nothing more"); many centres offer them for free. Current hearing aids are discreet, some almost invisible – nothing like the old ones he probably imagines. And the argument that resonates most: it's not about his ears, it's about him – about the conversations with his grandchildren that he's losing, one by one, without realising it.

One step at a time

If the assessment confirms hearing loss, the adaptation period to the hearing aid requires patience (weeks, not days) – warn him about this so he doesn't give up at the first hurdle. The GP can refer him to an ENT specialist; alternatively, hearing centres conduct assessments directly.