The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Aging are located in separate states and about 700 miles apart. Federal agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the organizations have different responsibilities, but their research and findings can overlap.
The Atlanta, Georgia-based CDC recently released a study that determined one of every three people in the United States age 65 or older annually “experiences a fall.” Headquartered in Baltimore, the NIA reported two years ago approximately one in three individuals in the U.S. between ages 65 and 74 has hearing loss.
The age-related circumstances are not mutually exclusive. Several universities and medical organizations have released studies indicating that hearing loss is a substantial factor in older adults falling. Three million emergency department visits, 950,000 hospitalizations and 32,000 deaths are related to the predicament, according to the CDC.
Echoed by the medical community at large, the related statistics between hearing loss and falling among older adults are an increasing concern. According to the CDC, many of the incidents are preventable.
Sreek Cherukuri, an otolaryngologist in Chicago, has patients nationwide — including in Southwest Florida — via his invention, ClearCast conversation amplifying earphones. He stressed the importance of understanding the connection between hearing loss and falling.
“The ear is an important organ for both hearing and balance,” Cherukuri says. “Those with decreased function of the ear suffer from both hearing loss and balance dysfunction. Hearing loss can reduce awareness of your surroundings, leading to a higher risk of falling.”
Many medical experts similarly understand the connection between hearing loss and an increased potential for falling among those age 65 and older.
“Although these two statistics (hearing loss and falling percentages) may not seem to share much in common, they are closely linked,” says William Even, a clinical audiologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. “It has long been known that some less common inner ear diseases can directly affect both hearing, as well as balance. However, more recent research demonstrates a correlation between more common types of hearing loss and a risk of falls.”
Mild degrees of hearing loss can cause up to a threefold increased risk of falling, Even explained. With increased degrees of hearing loss, the chances of falling also increase.
Researchers have also suggested those with hearing loss may have decreased spatial awareness of the environment around them. Hearing loss also introduces an increased cognitive load as the brain struggles to interpret sounds, leading to fewer cognitive resources to help with balance and stability.
Older adults can be proactive, beginning with an appointment with an audiologist to determine current hearing levels or hearing loss. The results will allow an audiologist to recommend devices and personalize fittings and settings. Wearing the devices consistently provides patients with the most benefit — though devices shouldn’t be worn while showering, sleeping, swimming or in severely loud environments.
Cherukuri suggests additional actions: Exercise is important to improve strength and balance. Physical therapy helps an unsteady gait. In home and office environments, remove trip hazards and install railings on stairs and nonslip mats in showers.
The Florida Department of Health includes hearing loss in its literature for elder care, specifically falling. It’s categorized with other concerns, impaired vision to inactivity and chronic condition to medication levels. It suggests regular hearing exams and exercise programs such as tai chi and yoga can improve leg strength and balance. Appropriate shoes with a proper fit, grip and foundation are also keenly preventative. High heels, flip flops and no-grip socks worn without shoes can affect mobility and increase fall risk.
Maura K. Cosetti, an associate professor of otolaryngology at Mount Sinai in New York, is a head and neck surgery expert, specifically among the aging.
“Elderly patients have several factors that put them at greater risk of falling, and hearing loss is a significant and under-recognized contributor,” Cosetti says. “Age-related hearing loss is prevalent, affecting up to two-thirds of those over the age of 70, and should be considered and checked in those at high risk for falls.
“Balance is complicated and involves the coordination of many different sensory inputs. When people fall, doctors typically focus on vision issues, check for neuropathy in their feet and bone issues, and fully ignore issues related to hearing.”
