You’re not too old for hearing aids—only too young to miss out on life

You’re not too old for hearing aids—only too young to miss out on life

At age 91, my mother finally got hearing aids.

It wasn’t the well-reasoned arguments that my sisters and I espoused, such as:

 Hearing loss is strongly linked to dementia and cognitive decline, and that hearing aids may help slow this by keeping the brain engaged.

Or that hearing aids can help maintain relationships and support active participation in family and community life.

Or that good hearing is critical for detecting warnings like sirens, alarms, or someone calling out in an emergency.

It didn’t even motivate her when we told her today’s hearing aids are small, inconspicuous, and high-tech—they can adjust automatically, reduce background noise, and even connect to phones and TVs.

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Discharged from the hospital: what happens after that?

Discharged from the hospital: what happens after that?

I recently received a letter from a reader concerned about a problem some of her friends are facing. Either they—or their spouse—have been released from the hospital but remain weak and in need of care. These are couples in their 80s or 90s, and she wonders if any type of medical support is available after hospital discharge.

Let’s begin with the discharge process. Before a patient leaves the hospital, the medical team—including social workers and discharge planners—assesses the patient’s condition, care needs, home environment, and available support. The goal is to determine whether it’s safe for the patient to return home.

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