You may need to take care of your aging parents as a study has recently warned that age-related hearing loss may be a risk factor for cognitive decline, impairment and dementia.

Age-related hearing loss is common.Researchers wanted to find the link between age-related hearing loss, cognitive decline and dementia.Understanding any possible association between hearing loss and cognitive decline could help with strategies to prevent cognitive decline and dementia with use of hearing assist devices.

The team conducted the study on 20,264 participants in 36 studies.Study authors David G. Loughrey, B.A. (Hons), Trinity College Dublin, Ireland and coauthors.The results indicated that there was a small association between age-related hearing loss and increased risk for cognitive decline (such as in executive function, episodic memory and processing speed), cognitive impairment and dementia.