Recently another new dementia drug has been found ineffective in clinical trials and some researchers are arguing for focusing on known risk factors now rather than waiting for that miracle drug. Emphasizing lifestyle risks such as high blood pressure, hearing loss and smoking represents a radical change says Dr. Julio Rojas, a neurologist at UC-San Francisco. “We are changing how we understand the way dementia develops.”
How does vision and hearing loss contribute to dementia? Dr. Rojas explains “a neural system maintains its function through stimulation from sensory organs.” Without that stimulation, neurons die and brain function is diminished. Hearing and vision loss affect cognition by limiting older adults’ participation in physical and social activity. When you quit reading, going to movies, taking walks, doing crossword puzzles or meeting friends for cards because you can’t see or hear well, you are losing hours of that necessary brain stimulation.
The link between dementia and hearing loss is well established and the first line of defense is getting the correct type of hearing aid, a fairly expensive item, and not covered by Medicare. As for vision issues, Medicare will pay for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma or age-related macular degeneration, but will not pay for eye exams and glasses. These are examples of policy changes that are needed for this new approach to preventing dementia by addressing modifiable lifestyle risks.
Admittedly, changing any given risk factor is going to affect a small percentage of people. Researchers estimate that 1.8%, about 100,000 cases, could have been prevented through healthy vision, not a lot compared to the 6.5 million cases in the U.S. right now. But small percentages add up to real reductions in the cost of health care. More importantly, each case is a tragedy for an individual and changes the life of the caregiver, usually an unpaid family member, forever.
Look for future articles in the “Preventing Dementia” series to learn about risk factors such depression, physical inactivity, lack of education, obesity, diabetes, poor diet and low levels of social contact.
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This article is submitted by Dementia Friendly Community Initiative, a program of Whitewater Seniors in the Park.
https://www.whitewater-wi.gov/273/Seniors-In-the-Park
More resources for patients and caregivers:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/03/health/dementia-treatment-behavior-eye-care.html
https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/dementia-risk-reduction-june-2022/
