Hearing Aid Usage and Its Influence on Cognitive Functions Among Older Adults with Age-Related Hearing Loss

Abstract

Aim: The current study aimed to analyze the cognitive skills of older adults with age-related hearing loss and the difference in cognitive functions between hearing aid users and non-users among older adults with age-related hearing loss using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Method: A total of 90 subjects participated in the study, the control group had 30 normally hearing older individuals, the unaided group had 30 older individuals with hearing loss who were non-users of hearing aids, and the aided group had 30 older individuals with hearing loss who are hearing aid users for more than 2 years. They were further divided into three sub-groups namely Group A:55-60 years, Group B:61-65 years, and Group C: 66-70 years. MoCA is a brief and rapid screening instrument for mild cognitive dysfunction that assesses various cognitive domains like naming, memory, etc. MoCA was administered to all the participants and the results were analysed. Results: The results indicated that normal-hearing participants had better cognitive scores compared to hearing-impaired individuals. Among the hearing-impaired group, the hearing aid users performed better on cognitive tasks as compared to the non-users which indicated the good impact of hearing aids on cognitive-based skills in the older age. Among the cognitive tasks, it was found that the ‘delayed recall’ task was difficult for all three groups. Conclusion: Hearing aids have a positive influence on the cognition of older adults with age-related hearing loss. It is important to incorporate cognitive tasks during the rehabilitation of older adults with hearing loss. Key words: Cognitive functions, age-related hearing loss, older adults, MoCA, hearing aids