alzheimers and deafness

[Sweetpea55]

Hi I'm new on here. I look after my mum who is 61 and has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's for 5 years. Mum is profoundly deaf having list her hearing when she was four. Was wondering if anyone else has experience with Alzheimer's and deafness? Thank you

 

[Kevinl]

Hi Sweetpea, welcome to TP
I'd say that being deaf and having AZ is pretty common and sadly a lot of people with AZ lose their hearings aids and never get them replaced, my wife for example.
I would have thought having been deaf virtually all her life your mother has the advantage of being used to living that way as opposed to someone who becomes deaf later in life.
Effectively about half the people in care with my wife are deaf as they have impaired hearing no longer wear hearing aids.
I'm sure over time both your mother and you have developed a coping strategy for her deafness in a way that the rest of us hasn't so al we can do is learn to shout louder.
K

 

[MaNaAk]

Hi I'm new on here. I look after my mum who is 61 and has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's for 5 years. Mum is profoundly deaf having list her hearing when she was four. Was wondering if anyone else has experience with Alzheimer's and deafness? Thank you

Welcome to Talking Point Sweet Pea!

I have always maintained that Dad's Alzheimers was probably started by his deafness not just his age. Dad been deaf for nearly thirty years and his memory started deteriorating quite rapidly in 2015. Anyway during his first appointment for his memory problems at our local surgery two years ago. The doctor looked at his hearing and his ears were found to be completely blocked. I made an appointment for him to have them syringed and then I started chasing up his hearing tests and hearing aids I found that the prescription for his hearing aids were five years out of date. Now I know dad can be very stubborn and he used to get annoyed with us for talking about his hearing but if he had been sent reminders about his hearing look he has with his sight tests then maybe this would have impacted on his alzheimers.

Once he had his hearing tests and blocked ears sorted out it was rather like having a new world opening up for him so yes I think there is a connection between hearing and memory loss.

MaNaAk

 

[MaNaAk]

Welcome to Talking Point Sweet Pea!

I have always maintained that Dad's Alzheimers was probably started by his deafness not just his age. Dad been deaf for nearly thirty years and his memory started deteriorating quite rapidly in 2015. Anyway during his first appointment for his memory problems at our local surgery two years ago. The doctor looked at his hearing and his ears were found to be completely blocked. I made an appointment for him to have them syringed and then I started chasing up his hearing tests and hearing aids I found that the prescription for his hearing aids were five years out of date. Now I know dad can be very stubborn and he used to get annoyed with us for talking about his hearing but if he had been sent reminders about his hearing look he has with his sight tests then maybe this would have impacted on his alzheimers.

Once he had his hearing tests and blocked ears sorted out it was rather like having a new world opening up for him so yes I think there is a connection between hearing and memory loss.

MaNaAk

PS: I have altered a spelling mistake!