If you think that hearing loss is part and parcel of ageing, and is something seniors have to learn to live with, think again. More studies are showing that uncorrected hearing loss is the single most important risk factor in causing dementia. The 2024 Lancet Commission report on dementia prevention, intervention, and care released on July 31 estimates that treating hearing loss could cut the number of people with dementia by 7 per cent. Ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists in Singapore agree that treatment or correction is vital. “Studies have shown that hearing loss is associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Treating hearing loss with amplification may reduce the likelihood of developing dementia,” said Dr Kimberley Lau, an associate consultant in otolaryngology (ENT) at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. This is because hearing loss often not only results in social isolation and depression, but also impacts the brain. Britain’s Alzheimer’s Society explained that with hearing loss, the parts of the brain for sounds and speech have to work harder