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Why hearing loss should be on your radar as you age to maintain cognitive health

By Valerie Bonk

Getting older often comes hearing loss, and a local audiologist says there are quite a few reasons why you should get that hearing checked sooner rather than later.

“We don’t need to wait till we’re 80 years old, or when we feel that we have diminished hearing to address it,” said Ana Anzola, an audiologist with Hearing Doctors in the D.C. area. “One out of five people live with hearing loss, but those numbers are really increasing with time. But what’s even more disturbing is that 80% of them don’t seek help.”

Anzola said you might not know you have hearing issues, and you might not know that hearing loss is connected to brain function.

“It really starts with education of the auditory system, because there is a correlation between hearing loss and cognitive decline,” she said. “If the brain is not receiving the proper input, it’s not being exercised.”

She said she’s trying to break down the stigma that comes with hearing loss.

“Hearing loss is so much more noticeable than an actual hearing aid,” she said. “Symptoms that really go beyond the turning up of the TV are things like reduced clarity, difficulty hearing and ringing in the ears. These are signs, or symptoms really, that warrant more in-depth studies. These are not normal.”

The technology behind hearing aids has improved exponentially in the last several years, she said.

“They’re barely visible. Don’t put up with poor hearing, because you think they may be big and ugly, and they don’t work. They do work, they are small and they are highly efficient,” Anzola said.

And for those who like smart technology, they can tie into that as well.

“They’re very, very smart,” she said. “They have artificial intelligence integrated in them, in a very small device that can be very much integrated with your Bluetooth device, like your phone.”

Getting a baseline at any age can be helpful, but she said around 50 years old is a good time to book that appointment with the audiologist.

“As soon as you think that you may have some hearing issues, or maybe you were accused of not hearing your best, definitely get it checked out sooner, but we recommend at least at the age of 50,” Anzola said.

Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids

By The Associated Press
BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts' highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state's lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users. The lawsuit, filed in 2023 by Attorney General Andrea Campbell, alleges that Meta did this to make a profit and that its actions affected hundreds of thousands of teenagers in Massachusetts who use the social media platforms. “We are making claims based only on the tools that Meta has developed because its own research shows they encourage addiction to the platform in a variety of ways,” said State Solicitor David Kravitz, adding that the state's claim has nothing to do the company's algorithms or failure to moderate content. Meta said Friday that it strongly disagrees with the allegations and is “confident the evidence will show our longstanding commitment to supporting young people.” Its attorney, Mark Mosier, argued in court that the lawsuit “would impose liabilities for performing traditional publishing functions” and that its actions are protected by the First Amendment.
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