Posts in category: Senior Wellness

What are the early signs of hearing loss?

With age-related hearing loss, your ability to hear higher-pitched sounds is usually the first thing to go, says Dr. Michaelides.

“That part of the inner ear is weakest and more prone to hearing loss over time,” he says.

One telltale sign of hearing loss: You have a harder time understanding speech from women and children.

Other early signs of hearing loss to watch for:

• You struggle to hear people on the other end of the phone.
• You have trouble hearing conversations when there’s a lot of background noise.
• You find yourself turning up the volume on the TV louder than you used to.
• You need to ask people to repeat themselves.

“If you have any of those signs, it’s very reasonable to get a hearing test,” says Dr. Michaelides.

How is hearing loss diagnosed?

Hearing tests are performed by specialists known as audiologists. You can book an appointment with one directly or visit your primary care provider and get a referral.

If you’re on Medicare, you’ll need a referral to get coverage, says Dr. Michaelides.

Here’s what to expect: After you fill out your case history form and review it with your audiologist, you’ll put on a set of earphones and raise your hand whenever you hear a beep. This will help determine your “threshold” of hearing. That’s the quietest sound you can hear at different frequencies—generally from 250 Hz to 8,000 Hz, which is the frequency range for speech sounds, says Tracy Winn, AuD. Winn is an audiologist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.

“That tells us how loud sound has to be for you to hear it,” Winn says.

You may be able to hear just fine at lower frequencies but struggle with higher ones. All this helps your audiologist figure out your degree of hearing loss—mild, moderate, severe, or profound—so they can find the best solution for you.

You’ll also be asked to put on a “bone oscillator.” This is a metal headband. Each end fits behind either ear, allowing sound to bypass the outer and middle part of the ear.

“If you have significantly better hearing with the bone oscillator, then we know you have something blocking that process,” such as fluid or earwax buildup, Winn says.

Finally, the audiologist may measure your ability to hear speech clearly. They may provide a list of words, including single-syllable words with difficult sounds such as “s,” “f,” and “th,” and be asked to repeat each one.

“If word recognition is impaired, there may be a limit to the benefit you will receive with hearing aids,” Winn says. “But even with impaired speech clarity, most people will notice benefit with hearing aids.”

Your audiologist may also send you to a hearing loss physician, or otologist, to help confirm a diagnosis, says Dr. Michaelides. An otologist will perform a physical examination, looking inside your ear canal to check for damage to the hearing bones or eardrum.

A diagnosis will then be made based on the hearing test results and the physical exam, says Dr. Michaelides.

Keep in mind you may have more than one type of hearing loss—for example, you may have excess earwax along with age-related hearing loss.

How do I treat my hearing loss?

Depending on what you learned from the hearing test and exam, your doctor or audiologist may recommend one of the following options:

Hearing aids. If you have age-related hearing loss, this is likely the first treatment you’ll be advised to try. In a nutshell, hearing aids work by amplifying the sound in your ears. And they’ve come a long way in recent years.

For example, you can program the hearing aids to prioritize certain sounds—such as people’s speech, or music if you’re a music lover. They’re basically little computers that are programmed to suit your unique needs and preferences.” Although there are a lot of different products out there, your audiologist will guide the selection process and present what is appropriate for a person,” says Winn.

“The options that most people need to consider are technologies such as Bluetooth compatibility, rechargeable batteries, tele-coil compatibility, and the style or size of the hearing aids,” says Winn. “There are technology levels to consider based on lifestyle and mainly to do with background noise and how much a person wants the hearing aids to react to noise automatically.”

You’ll get a trial period—usually 30 days—to decide if the hearing aids you choose are right for you. Then you’ll return to your audiologist in two or three weeks or for adjustments and fine-tuning, which may require more follow-up appointments. Once you’re happy with your hearing aids, Winn recommends regular six-month visits with your audiologist to have your hearing aids checked and cleaned. If you’re having any trouble at all with your hearing aid, book a visit with your audiologist for help.

Cochlear implants. If your hearing aids aren’t helping, you may be a candidate for a cochlear implant, says Dr. Michaelides. “That’s a device we implant into the inner ear to restore hearing,” he says.

Most adults who undergo the surgery hear better afterward, often immediately. Hearing may continue to improve for about three months or even years. To determine if you’re eligible for an implant, you’ll need a more extensive hearing test and medical exam, and possibly a CAT scan—a type of x-ray—taken of your inner ear, says Dr. Michaelides.

Surgery. For specific problems with your eardrums or the hearing bones, surgery can help restore hearing, says Dr. Michaelides. For example, if you have a hole in your eardrum—which can be caused by an infection, air pressure changes (from, say, diving), or from foreign objects such as a cotton swab, your doctor can help you decide if this can be surgically repaired.

Earwax removal. Everybody’s ears produce earwax, but some people make more than others. Too much can block the ear canal, making it harder for you to hear. Luckily, this type of hearing loss can be fixed by removing it.

Your doctor may be able to remove your earwax by sucking it out (suction), flushing it out with liquid (irrigation), or by using a small tool with a loop on the end of it. You can even buy drops at your local pharmacy to help loosen and remove earwax. But don’t try to remove the wax with a cotton swab, Dr. Michaelides says. You may push it farther in.

Fluid drainage. Sometimes fluid can build up in the middle of your ear (from, say, an infection), dampening the vibration of the eardrum. And that may cause hearing loss, says Dr. Michaelides. To drain the fluid, your physician may prescribe a medication to release it. Or the doctor could make a small hole in the eardrum, inserting a small tube into it and removing it.

Are there any over-the-counter hearing loss treatments?

If you’re suffering from only minor hearing loss and need help in certain situations, says Winn, you could consider buying a personal sound amplification product (PSAP).

“I think of them as reading glasses for hearing,” she says. “They’re for people who don’t need amplification all the time but might struggle while watching a play or a movie at home—just to get that extra little boost.”

But it’s worth noting that PSAPs aren’t approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as devices to aid a person with hearing loss.

Pretty soon, though, you’ll be able to buy hearing aids meant for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss directly from the store. “Nothing would be on the market until late 2022 or 2023,” says Kelley.

Will Medicare cover my hearing aids?

Let’s start with what Medicare will cover. If your doctor orders you a hearing exam, it will be covered by Medicare. You would, however, pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount.

While some Medicare Advantage plans cover hearing aids, Original Medicare does not.

That may change soon: New legislation in Congress has been proposed that would cover the cost of hearing aids for those with moderately severe, severe, or profound hearing loss starting in 2023.

That’s a big deal, considering the cost of hearing aids.

But that doesn’t mean you should wait for the new law to pass. Talk to a licensed Antares  insurance agent at (818) 8057113 about finding a Medicare Advantage plan that covers hearing aids.

Remember that cochlear implant? It may be covered by Medicare too.

Talk to your doctor if you have questions about whether that or another treatment is covered.

How can I prevent hearing loss?

While age-related hearing loss isn’t reversible, you can help keep it from getting worse. One of the best ways to do that: Use earplugs when you’re around loud noises, including while using power tools or your lawnmower, or while at a rock concert or a wedding reception.

“I always carry earplugs,” says Kelley, who uses the disposable foam kind that you can buy at any drugstore. They don’t cost a lot, and they can help reduce decibel levels.

Another tip for podcast and music lovers: Overusing earbuds—the type of hearing device that fits directly in your ear—can potentially damage your hearing.

Limit earbud use to no more than two hours a day, Winn recommends. ”But this, of course, depends on how loud someone is listening to the sound presented through the earbuds. The louder the output, the shorter the time you can listen before being at risk for noise-induced hearing loss.”

How can I fit hearing aids into my active lifestyle?

Hearing aids are great, but don’t assume they’ll solve all your problems.

“Managing life with hearing loss is a whole rehabilitative process,” Winn says. “Hearing aids are one part of that. But there are a lot of components to learning how to function better in the world when you have hearing loss.”

Try these tips.

• Use visual aids. “We all lip-read whether we know it or not, but people with hearing loss really depend on that tool,” Kelley says. Try to face people when they’re speaking and talk in rooms with good lighting, suggests Winn. Also ask people not to cover their mouths when they speak—such as with a menu at a restaurant.
• Find quiet places. For example, if you’re going out to dinner, ask to be seated in a corner without a lot of people around or with your back to a wall to help block noises coming from behind you. Spaces with carpeting, which may help absorb sound, could potentially be better than ones with wood floors.
• Try a remote microphone. This tool works together with your hearing aids and can help you hear people in situations with a lot of background noise, says Winn. Someone talks into the microphone, and their words stream directly to your hearing aids. Many hearing aid manufacturers also use smartphone apps that can do this, so you can use your phone instead of the microphone. Table microphones are also available for group meetings. And you can even get a device for your TV that lets you adjust the volume so that you can listen to it louder (or quieter) than the person next to you.
• Know your options. Many movie theaters, concert halls, churches, and other large venues have assistive listening systems. These work directly with your hearing aids or sometimes through earphones the place provides, says Winn.

Bottom line: If you’re having trouble hearing, schedule an appointment with an audiologist or your doctor. You could begin taking steps to hear better right away—and as you’ve just learned, that could be nothing short of life-changing.

Worried about your hearing but don’t have health insurance coverage? Contact a licensed Antares agent today at (818) 8057113, or review plans online.

So what’s the reason so many older adults aren’t active?

Limited mobility. It’s the most common disability affecting older Americans. An estimated one-third to one half of all adults age 65 and older have trouble walking or climbing stairs.⁴ Fortunately, there are still many exercises for limited mobility you can do to stay active.

Exercise guidelines for older adults

If you’re age 65 or older, you might not be as mobile or active as you used to be. But being active is still important. For older adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends:

• 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise (like walking) or 75 minutes a week of vigorous activity (like hiking, jogging or running).
• At least 2 days a week of strength training (like bodyweight exercises or weight lifting).
• At least 3 days a week, activities that improve balance (like balancing on one foot).

Before you start an exercise program…

If you’re 65 or older and in good health, follow the exercise guidelines above for older adults. If you have limited mobility and other health issues, it’s important to talk to your doctor. But keep this in mind: Zero physical activity is a health risk. Even exercises for limited mobility can improve your health, quality of life and ability to handle activities of daily living on your own.

If any of the following conditions apply to you, you will need to have a conversation with your health care provider before starting a workout program.

• A new symptom or symptoms you haven’t yet brought up with your doctor
• Recent surgery on your back or hip
• Chest pain or pressure or a heartbeat that seems to skip, flutter or race
• Dizziness or shortness of breath
• History of blood clots
• Infection or fever accompanied by aching muscles
• Weight loss that isn’t a result of diet, exercise, etc.
• Hernia
• Wounds or sores on your feet or ankles that don’t heal
• Swelling joints
• Certain eye conditions, such as laser treatment, recent eye surgery or detached/bleeding retina

If you have a chronic illness or limited mobility, talk with your doctor about how much exercise you should get and what types will suit you best.

Exercises for limited mobility: 7 easy ways to stay active

So how do you stay active even if it’s hard to do certain things? Here are 7 exercises for limited mobility to help you move more.

1. Exercise in water

Why? It’s easier to move around. There’s less pressure on your joints. And it’s an effective way to work out even if you have mobility issues. One recent study found that exercising in water a few times a week for 8 to 12 weeks helped improve:

• Strength
• Balance
• Heart health
• Overall fitness

2. Use groceries to build strength

Who needs expensive exercise equipment? You can use the following to build strength:

• A gallon jug of milk
• 1-pound can of food
• Bag of rice
• Container full of liquid
• Bag of apples, potatoes, onions or oranges
• Bag of pet food
• Bottle of laundry detergent

Carry your groceries. Even if it’s just one bag at a time. Or use these items to do simple exercises like:

• Biceps curls with grocery sacks or milk jugs
• Shoulder raise with a bag of rice
• Bent-over row with two soup cans
• Farmer carry with two bottles of laundry detergent
• Walking lunges with grocery bags or milk jugs

You can even do some of these exercises while sitting in a chair (bicep curls, shoulder raise, bent-over row). Use a weight that’s appropriate for you — if you can’t lift the weight 8 times in a row, try something lighter.

3. Use resistance bands

Ever seen rubber resistance bands used in a gym or physical therapy? Resistance bands offer another safe and low-impact type of exercises for limited mobility.

In one recent study, researchers had a group of older adults use resistance bands. They exercised for 60 minutes three times a week. After 12 weeks, they found that exercise using resistance bands helped:

• Improve grip strength
• Increase flexibility
• Develop lower-leg strength
• Lower blood pressure

You can use a resistance band to do a variety of exercises to improve strength and balance such as:

• Seated rows
• Squats
• Chest press
• Biceps curl
• Band pull-apart

4. Build grip strength

Did you know grip-strength can be used to measure and predict your health and quality of life? In a recent study, researchers found that older adults with poor grip strength were at higher risk for physical decline.⁷ They also found that good grip strength may be tied to healthy aging.

Here’s a simple way to improve grip strength:

• Get a tennis ball, rubber ball or foam ball.
• Hold the ball in one hand.
• Squeeze with all the pressure you can muster for 3 to 5 seconds. Relax your grip slowly.
• Repeat in sets of 10–15 squeezes per hand.

Exercises for limited mobility to build grip strength like this will help you get stronger and support everyday needs like picking and holding objects or opening jars.

5. Chair dips

If you have trouble walking or climbing stairs, you can still be active. You can use your chair to build upper body strength, like this:
Use a chair with armrests.

• Sit with your feet shoulder-width apart and flat to the floor.
• Hold the arms of the chair with your hands. Lean forward a bit, and breathe in.
• Keeping your upper body straight, slowly push yourself out of the chair using your arms only and breathe out.
• Hold yourself in place for 1 second.
• Lower yourself back into the chair and breathe in.
• Do sets of 10–15 repetitions, with short breaks in between.

6. Chair-leg extension

Here’s a simple exercise you can do to build leg strength, even if walking is hard for you.

• Sit with your back straight against a chair. Only the balls of your feet and toes should be touching the ground. Breathe in.
• As you breathe out, bring one leg up and stretch it to be as straight as possible. Don’t lock your knee, though.
• Flex your foot toward you, and hold for 1 second.
• Breathe out and lower your leg to its original position.
• Repeat in sets of 10–15, alternating legs.

7. Chest stretch

When you have limited mobility, getting on the floor to do push-ups to strengthen your chest might be too hard. But you can still exercise your chest, even while sitting in a chair. Here’s how:

• Sit in a chair without arms. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and flat to the floor.
• Extend your arms to your sides, with the palms of your hands facing forward.
• Ease your arms back, and feel your shoulder blades move toward one another.
• When you get a good stretch, pause and hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
• Repeat this stretch 3 to 5 times.

Don’t let limited mobility limit you. You can still be active. It’s important to promote good health. Find exercises you can do. Or ask your doctor for help. Even moderate amounts of exercise can improve your health, prevent and manage disease and help you live longer.

In fact, one recent study found that even just 11 minutes of moderate exercise per day will help you live longer. Even if you have limited mobility, you can still find ways to move more, sit less and be more active.