Why hearing healthcare matters

Ears Train the Brain: clEAR Auditory Brain Training

Hot off the press (Wei et al., 2017), this meta-analysis of cohort studies suggests that the link between hearing loss and age-related cognitive decline is not due to a shared, common neurodegenerative process.  Because hearing loss typically precedes cognitive decline, the authors suggest the following  ways that a decline in hearing ability might cause a decline in cognition:

·      1.   “Auditory deprivation may cause decreased socialization and increased depression, as well as a decline in cognitive function, which can result in mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

·        2.  Hearing impairment [may] cause cognitive resources to be diverted from memory function into auditory processing, which creates an excessive cognitive load on higher cortical functions, leading to cognitive decline.

·         3. Hearing impairment may modify the auditory pathway and the brain.” (pg. 449)

·         The use of amplification and follow-up clEAR auditory brain training may be critical elements in staving off cognitive decline. Now more than ever, older adults need to be counselled about the importance of hearing healthcare.

EARS Train the Brain:  www.clearworks4ears.com

clEAR Auditory Brain Training Games Have a New Look!

clEAR (customized learning: Exercises for Aural Rehabilitation) is pleased to announce that our auditory brain training games have a new look and new routines.  Exercise your ability to recognize speech, despite your hearing loss, while having fun at the same time by playing clEAR's computerized games.  You can play on your IPad or laptop computer.  Be proactive and take command of your listening challenges today:
EARs train the brain:  www.clearworks4ears.com
clEAR Auditory Brain Training

If you have hearing loss and like to eat out....

• If you are at a restaurant or bar, sit in a place where you cannot see a television monitor because the visual distraction will decrease your abilities to speechread (i.e., read lips) and to pay attention to conversation that is occurring at your table. 

•  If you have a “better ear”, that is, one which has more hearing than the other, select seating or positioning that will allow you to have your dining partner on your better side.

• At a restaurant, choose a padded booth because the padding will provide a buffer to other noise in the restaurant. Sit with your back to the rest of the room, especially if your hearing aids have directional microphones so that your hearing aids will not amplify noise that is coming from behind.
clEAR:  EARS train the brain
clear auditory brain training

Why some people with hearing loss feel like a tuckered-out cat at the end of the day

Why some people with hearing loss feel like a tuckered-out cat at the end of the day: According to Pichora-Fuller et al. (2016), listeners with hearing loss "expend more mental effort to direct attention to and concentrate on... comprehending, remembering, and responding to [speech]…." And as a result, "they may experience fatigue and/or decide to quit the task at hand to avoid becoming fatigued." To counteract hearing-related cognitive fatigue: • “Chill out” with quiet time every day at about the same time of day, limiting verbal input, even reading, for about 20 minutes. • If warranted, use appropriately fitted hearing aids, ideally with noise reduction circuitry. • Engage in auditory brain training (e.g., Sommers et al., 2015). Ears train the brain
clEAR Auditory Brain Training

Eat Well, Hear Well

Women who follow a Mediterranean diet are less likely to incur hearing loss than women who do not, according to a study conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Curhan et al., 2018). Participants: 81,818 women Study Design: A longitudinal cohort study from 1991-2013 Diet types studied: 1) Alternative Mediterranean Diet (AMED); 2) Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH); and 3) Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010) Findings: The more closely a woman followed the AMED, the less likely she was to incur a hearing loss; in fact, her risk factor decreased by 30%. Conclusions: Enjoy the following---vegetables (except potatoes, sigh), fruits, nuts, legumes, whole grains, extra virgin olive oil, fish, and vino (!!—in moderation, of course). If you know a woman who hasn’t followed the AMED and may now have hearing loss, there’s help available.
Ears Train the Brain:
clEAR Auditory Brain Training

Veterans and Hearing Loss

Here are a few facts about Veterans and hearing loss:

• Over one million veterans receive compensation for hearing loss.
• The most common kind of hearing loss among veterans is noise-induced hearing loss, resulting from exposure to explosives or engine noise.  Veterans with this kind of hearing loss have a hard time hearing when there is background noise present, as in a noisy restaurant.
• Even if they score normally on a hearing test, many veterans experience difficulty understanding speech, a condition called "central auditory processing disorder."

clEAR has a customized lesson plan that provides auditory brain training specifically designed to enhance listening in noise and another plan that is specifically designed for those who suffer from central auditory processing disorder.

The clEAR auditory brain training games and other resources for Veterans can be found at these websites:

The Hearing Loss Association of American
Veterans' Health Council
clEAR Auditory Brain Training

Be proactive and let:  Ears Train the Brain

What the research shows about auditory brain training

What the research shows about auditory brain training:
• Improves speech discrimination (JSLHR, 2016; 2017)
• Reduces perceptual effort (Semin Hear, 2015)
• Diminishes everyday listening challenges  (JSLHR, 2016)
• Increases confidence for engaging in conversations (JSLHR, 2017; JAAA, 2012)
Much attention has been paid to the Johns Hopkins study that showed untreated hearing loss can hasten age-related cognitive decline (J. Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, 2011).  Consequently, many patients are receptive to the notion of “exercising” their listening skills and cognitive auditory abilities.  Auditory brain training can be a key component in a comprehensive hearing healthcare plan, especially given the public’s growing awareness of the link between hearing treatment and good cognitive health.

clEAR auditory brain training: EARs train the brain