The Link Between Hearing Loss & Alzheimer’s Disease

There is no cure for dementia including Alzheimer’s Disease. That’s why taking care of the body and brain on multiple levels is critical to staving off the onset of memory-related issues. This includes things like daily exercise, staying socially and mentally active, maintaining a healthy diet, getting proper rest and (perhaps surprisingly) protecting our hearing.

How Are Hearing Loss and Cognitive Decline Connected?
It’s important to note that not all hearing loss will result in cognitive disorders, but there is an interrelated reason why it may escalate a person’s risk. Age-related hearing loss, known as sensory-neural hearing loss, is a normal part of growing older. Approximately 50% of people will have significant hearing loss by age 75. Preventing this type of hearing loss through things like avoiding loud noise exposure and getting early treatment for sensory-neural hearing loss is critical for maintaining good hearing.

Over the past decade, studies have also shown the negative effects of hearing loss on cognitive function. When there is auditory deprivation, AKA hearing loss, there is a significant reduction of activity in the area of the brain that processes communication. This area is the temporal lobe, which is considered the primary auditory cortex. It not only controls hearing, but also the way language is processed.

Individuals who struggle with hearing often become less social as a result, and therefore, their cognitive decline is affected by fewer interactions and reduced mental processing. It is also believed that decline in other special senses, like smell and vision, can exacerbate cognitive issues due to degeneration in these other areas of the brain.

Receiving early treatment (such as hearing aids) can help slow down the natural progression of hearing-loss-related cognitive decline. Nonetheless, hearing loss is progressive and tends to get worse with age in most people.

In all, it’s important to do all we can to keep the brain engaged in social interaction and verbal communication, because when a person becomes isolated or has trouble communicating effectively, it tends to exacerbate the onset of dementia. Protecting and preserving hearing is one of the lesser-known items we can control, and that makes it something that’s worth thinking about right now.

Aston Gardens At Tampa Bay utilizes a nationally recognized curriculum within its SHINE® Memory Care neighborhood.

Aston Gardens Provides Multiple Living Options
Aston Gardens is among the Tampa Bay area’s most sought-after communities. That’s due in large part to its commitment to enriching the lives of each resident senior and their family by providing personalized care, welcoming living spaces, and superior amenities. There are also three, distinct living options, which include Active Independent Living, Assisted Living and the exclusive SHINE® Memory Care program.

Active Independent Living
This lifestyle delivers the best of active senior living and includes some extended services such as restaurant-style dining, robust health and fitness programming, and a full calendar of activities and social events.

At Aston Gardens, spacious, well-appointed apartment homes and a limited number of for-sale villas come complete with full-size kitchens, in-unit laundry and many designer upgrades. There are also world-class amenities located throughout the Grande Clubhouse and elsewhere across the community. Those include multiple, casual and upscale dining venues; a heated, resort pool; bar and lounge; high-tech senior fitness center and more. Taken together, it’s all part of a more flexible, choice-driven way of life; one that empowers seniors to lead an independent lifestyle on their own, unique terms.

Assisted Living
This more care-focused living option was designed for seniors who enjoy living independently, but who need or could benefit from having some regular assistance with daily living activities such as bathing, ambulation, medication and/or insulin management and more. It also comes with a host of all-inclusive features and lifestyle services, things like daily, chef-prepared meals, personal laundry service, chauffeured transportation and specialized care plans designed to suit each, individual resident’s needs and preferences.

Assisted Living provides 24-hour care and service from dedicated health and wellness professionals. Plus, at Aston Gardens, Assisted Living is all-inclusive, with residents paying just one price for full community access, amenities, and care and services.

SHINE® Memory Care
Built upon a single foundational principle—personalization—SHINE® utilizes six (6) individual points of focus to create a holistic memory care plan that’s made to fit each person’s unique needs and capabilities. Those include:

1) Superior Communication
2) Team Member Training & Certification
3) My Story, a Personalized, Biographical Journey
4) Specialized Dining Programs
5) Life Enhancement Experiences
6) Safety-Minded Neighborhood Design

For utilizing the latest, scientific evidence and industry best practices, the SHINE® program curriculum in 2020 received a National Certificate of Recognition from the Alzheimer’s Association®. The honor is a testament to the quality of the SHINE®,and shows that its person-centered approach is at the leading edge of the dementia care universe.

In all, the SHINE® program ensures the finest-quality memory care available anywhere, and Aston Gardens communities are among the fewer than 50 communities in the nation that have it!

Why Aston Gardens?
Want to know why so many people choose to live at Aston Gardens? It’s the resort-style life, the caring staff, friendly community, and attention to detail that makes Aston Gardens surpass expectations.

Aston Gardens At Tampa Bay is a luxury senior living community offering the best combinations of active-adult lifestyles and personalized care services. Wake up inspired each morning with a wealth of amenities, activities, and support at your doorstep. Explore the stylish Grande Clubhouse and indulge in our unique lifestyle services: Sensations Dining, Celebrations Activities and Dimensions Wellness. Let dedicated team members handle transportation, maintenance, housekeeping, concierge services and more. Plus, Aston Gardens At Tampa Bay also offers one of the area’s best values in senior living, with transparent pricing, three-year rent lock protection and no hidden fees.

Now is the time to schedule your personalized tour! See why so many people want to call Aston Gardens their home!

Aston Gardens
Call 813-438-7345 today or visit astongardens.com.