Nothing works as well as it did when it was new, the human body included. As you age, your body starts to slow down and have more problems. One condition that is more common in older adults is hearing loss.
Baby Boomer Stats
Since 2010, the population of Americans over the age of 65 has grown rapidly.
The Baby Boomer generation is classified as those born between 1946 and 1964. According to Dr. Luke Rogers, of the Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Branch, “the first Baby Boomers reached 65 years old in 2011.” He continued, “Since then, there’s been a rapid increase in the size of the 65-and-older population, which grew by over a third since 2010. No other age group saw such a fast increase. In fact, the under-18 population was smaller in 2019 than it was in 2010, in part due to lower fertility in the United States.”
In 2018 there were 52 million Americans over the age of 65; this number is expected to reach almost 100 million by 2060.
Increase in Hearing Loss for Those Over 65
According to the World Health Organization, the prevalence of disabling hearing loss in adults over the age of 65 is up to five times higher compared to children and adults up to 65 years of age.
Age Related Hearing Loss
Presbycusis, known more commonly as age-related hearing loss is the most common condition affecting older adults.
- One in three adults between 65 and 74 has hearing loss
- One in two adults over 75 has hearing loss
This type of hearing loss develops gradually. That means many adults do not realize they have lost their hearing for some time. Changes in the inner ear, middle ear and nerve pathway connecting the ear to the brain are typically the cause of this condition.
Long-term exposure to noise is a common factor that can cause you lose to your hearing as you age, as noise can damage the hair cells within your inner ear.
Diseases such as high blood pressure and diabetes, conditions more common in older people, can also contribute to hearing loss.
Ototoxic medication such as some antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs can cause hearing loss as well. To learn more about treating your age-related hearing loss or to schedule an appointment with an expert, contact Evergreen Speech & Hearing Inc.