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The Guardian
an hour ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Why it's important to protect your hearing as you age – and what experts suggest
A recent study examined the potential link between hearing loss and dementia, suggesting that treating hearing loss can help the brain. Although the possible connection is still being untangled, study co-author and audiologist Nicholas Reed advises prioritizing hearing health regardless. 'There are already more than enough established benefits related to hearing care,' says Reed, a faculty member of the NYU Langone Health Optimal Aging Institute. What's especially important about supporting hearing health is the effect it has on keeping people engaged in the world, Reed explains. Here's what experts recommend in order to support your hearing as you age. Hearing loss can result from a wide range of genetic and environmental factors, such as chronic diseases and smoking. Some also experience age-related hearing loss, called presbycusis. Hearing loss is 'not about volume', Reed explains. Instead, it's a clarity issue. We lose our hearing at different frequencies at different rates, which can make sounds garbled. There is a tendency to 'normalize hearing loss as we age to some extent', says Reed. Other conditions can seem more pressing, and hearing loss becomes a low priority. There can be 'downstream effects' in a healthcare context because hearing loss can hinder patient-provider communication, says Reed. Early research suggests that hearing loss is associated with increased cognitive decline and an increased risk of new cases of dementia, although further studies are needed to understand this connection. Researchers have not, however, found a cause-and-effect relationship between hearing loss and dementia. Reed and his colleagues wanted to calculate the number of cases of dementia there could be in a population if a potential risk factor, in this case hearing loss, was eliminated. They used a sample of nearly 3,000 adults aged 66 to 90 and found 32% of the dementia risk in the sample group was potentially associated with audiometric hearing loss (hearing loss measured through testing). According to the authors, these results suggest that treating hearing loss may delay the onset of dementia in some older adults. However, this research cannot establish whether hearing loss causes dementia, explains co-author Jason Smith, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of North Carolina. One potential reason hearing loss is associated with cognitive changes is that it can lead to more social isolation, which may strain the brain and affect memory, says Reed. Another theory is that because auditory signals stimulate the brain, the lack of stimulation caused by hearing loss can lead to accelerated brain atrophy. If hearing problems are linked to an increased risk of dementia, are there ways to reduce that risk? An influential 2020 Lancet report recommended the use of hearing aids and protecting ears from excessive noise exposure. A 2023 analysis found a connection between the use of devices like hearing aids and a decreased risk of cognitive decline. However, further research is needed. Hearing loss is not an inevitable part of ageing. But certain factors, such as age-related changes to the inner ear and auditory nerve, as well as genetics, are beyond our control. We can still mitigate the likelihood of damage from other causes. For example, we can manage conditions associated with hearing loss, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. We can also limit exposure to sources of damaging noise, like construction equipment, lawn mowers, motorcycles and loud music. Small actions, like protecting your hearing at a loud concert with over-ear headphones, which Reed prefers to earplugs, can have a big impact. Sign up to Well Actually Practical advice, expert insights and answers to your questions about how to live a good life after newsletter promotion 'A healthy lifestyle and healthy listening habits can go a long way,' says Reed. Reed also recommends that people start getting their hearing tested in their late 30s or 40s. Establishing a baseline can help you identify changes over time, and indicate if and when new habits might be useful. The longer you live with impaired hearing, the harder it is to adjust to tools like hearing aids. Several treatments and devices can help alleviate hearing loss, but their effectiveness depends on the individual. If you suspect you have hearing issues, it's best to have your hearing checked and discuss options with your healthcare provider. Hearing aids can be purchased over-the-counter or with a prescription. Reed says learning how to wear them takes time and practice. There's a critical public health need to expand coverage for these tools, says Smith, because it's well-established that hearing aids can improve quality of life. While studies haven't proven that hearing aids will delay dementia, scientists are intrigued by their potential to support brain health. 'The idea is that, in theory, if a person uses hearing aids, communication becomes easier and you lower the burden of cognitive load,' says Reed. 'You're stimulating the brain with more auditory signals.' Staying engaged in social networks is key to maintaining mental and physical wellbeing, says Reed. In a 2025 study, Reed and colleagues found that, among people with hearing loss, participants who received hearing aids and were counseled on their use experienced less loneliness and social isolation. They also had more varied types of connections, such as friends, family and acquaintances. Similarly, assistive technologies may help. These range widely in function and design, but generally amplify sound, reduce background noise, and improve communication. For example, apps that convert speech to text can assist with phone calls, and personal amplifiers can enhance hearing in conversations. People with mild to moderate hearing loss may find some relief in settings like crowded restaurants through items like the Apple AirPods Pro 2, which feature a built-in hearing aid, says Reed. In some instances, what can help a person manage hearing loss best is how they are supported by their community. There's a need for more equitable environments that support people with sensory health needs, says Smith. 'Some communication tips can go really far,' says Reed. 'Good communication is looking someone in the face. It's speaking slowly. It's about rephrasing and adding context.'
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Barron Trump has not been by dad Donald's side in MONTHS sparking speculation about his whereabouts
Barron Trump has not attended an official White House event or appeared alongside his father Donald Trump in months. The 19-year-old NYU student was last seen by his dad's side at his inauguration on January 20, where he seemed cool and confident as he put on a show for the cameras. But since then, Barron hasn't stepped out with the 79-year-old president - and his noticeable absence has prompted speculation over his whereabouts. Daily Mail has contacted the White House for comment. Despite not being seen out with his dad, Barron has been photographed in and around Manhattan. In April, he was pictured showing off a shaggier, more relaxed mane as he strode with purpose to university classes. The towering NYU's Stern School of Business freshman - who stands at 6ft7 - also sported a loose sweater, jeans, and Adidas sneakers. Barron reportedly commutes to college from the Trump Tower apartment, home to his father and doting 54-year-old mother Melania. To get him to class, a motorcade of black SUVs drives him 20 minutes to Tisch Hall, Stern's undergrad building. While Barron hasn't been by his father's side, Trumps older children, Donald Jr Trump, 47, Ivanka Trump, 43, and Eric Trump, 41, have showed their support. Earlier this week, the president was joined by his sons Donald Jr and Eric, daughter-in-law Lara Trump, and grandchildren Chloe and Spencer, for the opening ceremony of Trump International Golf Links near Aberdeen, Scotland. His family members joined him for the trip to Scotland - that was part vacation, part work - as he stayed at his Trump Turnberry golf course. 'This has been an unbelievable development,' Trump said before the ribbon cutting. He also heaped praise on Eric, who designed the course, who in return said it was his dad's 'passion project.' Eric has appeared by his dad's side for numerous events, including the Super Bowl in New Orleans in February. At the Super Bowl, Eric was also joined by his sister, Ivanka, with the family pictured before the Philadelphia Eagles beat Kansas City Chiefs. In March, he attended Trump's address to a joint session of Congress in the House Chamber of the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., and in June, he appeared with his dad at the mixed martial art rematch of Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley in New Jersey. Eric's sister Ivanka was also in attendance for the UFC 316 event in New Jersey, and was accompanied by her husband Jared Kushner. In April, Ivanka's children Arabella Rose, 13, and her son Theodore, nine, hung out with Trump on the South Lawn of the White House at an event celebrating the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles NFL football team. While Barron hasn't been by his dad's side at official events, that hasn't stopped the president from talking about him. In May, Trump revealed that his youngest son will be attending at least some of the FIFA World Cup matches next year. 'These events will attract millions of passionate fans around the world, including my son. I have a son that loves soccer – Barron,' Trump said. He then joked with the room: 'Nobody's ever heard of Barron, right? Have you ever heard of Barron? He's a good soccer player, too.' 'He's a little tall for soccer, but that's okay,' the president conceded.
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Barron Trump became a mainstay during his dad's campaign. They haven't been seen together in months
President Donald Trump 's youngest son, Barron, became a mainstay during his dad's 2024 campaign but they haven't been seen together in months. The 19-year-old only appeared a few times on Trump's campaign trail but has become popular with his father's Make America Great Again base. Trump had touted his son at his inauguration for helping him win over young voters, telling the crowd, 'He knew the youth vote.' The president mentioned how Barron advised him on which podcasts to go on, name-dropping Joe Rogan, who is popular with young male listeners. But Barron has not been seen at a White House event or on any of Trump's international trips in the first six months of his dad's second term, the Daily Beast reported Wednesday. The Daily Beast pointed out Barron has not been seen pictured with his dad since his January inauguration. The Independent has reached out to the White House for comment. While Barron has been seemingly absent from his dad's packed presidential schedule, Trump's eldest sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, just went on a trip to Scotland with their dad. Trump's daughters, Ivanka and Tiffany, have also made public appearances with their dad since the inauguration. In April, Ivanka and her children attended a White House event celebrating the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl win, and Tiffany and her husband, Michael Boulos, attended Trump's address to a joint session of Congress in March. Barron completed his first year at New York University's Stern School of Business this May. In December 2024, People reported, citing several unnamed sources, Barron was living at Trump Tower in Manhattan. The president visited his youngest son at Trump Tower in March for his 19th birthday, The Palm Beach Post reported. First Lady Melania Trump had sought to keep Barron, her only son, largely out of the spotlight until he was 18 years old, according to the local outlet. But Trump says Barron has taken an interest in politics, where people are often scrutinized. 'He's really been a great student. And he does like politics,' Trump told Talk Radio 1210 WPHT in Philadelphia in May 2024. 'It's sort of funny. He'll tell me sometimes, 'Dad, this is what you have to do.''
New York Post
a day ago
- Health
- New York Post
NYC risks a $7.2 billion loss — if it ignores Trump's sensible homeless orders
New Yorkers are fed up with having to climb over drug-addled zombies and avoid mentally deranged vagrants on the streets and in the subways. But the city's far-left politicians insist the homeless should be catered to on their own terms: We must care for them wherever they choose to sleep and even give them clean needles to support their addictions — the public's fears and disgust be damned. Last week President Donald Trump took the people's side. Advertisement His new executive order aims to pull federal funding from the 'failed programs' that facilitate the use of illegal drugs and permit the mentally ill to roam the streets and subways. 'The overwhelming majority' of the homeless, Trump stated, 'are addicted to drugs or have mental health disorders or both. We want to take care of them. But they have to be off our streets.' Advertisement Trump wants civility. The president can't force New York to follow his order, but his funding threat sets up a clash with city and state officials. In 2024, federal cash — $7.2 billion in all, according to NYU's Furman Center — accounted for most of the money spent by the city's two housing agencies, and a significant share of the Department of Homeless Services' budget. Under Trump's edict, federal funds will go only to housing programs that require addicts and the mentally ill to receive treatment — and can't be used to facilitate drug use. Advertisement He's boldly declaring that law-abiding people deserve safe neighborhoods and transit. Trump is discarding orthodoxies that the homelessness industrial complex and its political allies have insisted on for decades. Like 'housing first' — the ubiquitous blue-state policy that offers the homeless permanent housing without making them enroll in addiction or mental-health treatment. Advertisement Billions have been spent on 'housing first,' and yet the number of homeless people is higher than ever. And like 'harm reduction,' another orthodoxy — providing clean needles, and even supervised injection sites, to make drug addiction slightly less deadly. Gotham was the first city to open drug-use centers where addicts can shoot up under the supervision of medical personnel, who intervene in case of an overdose. The perfect addition to any neighborhood. Voters need to weigh in, making it clear they want a livable city, not sidewalks strewn with syringes and subway stations swarming with the mentally ill. Start with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, and the stark electoral choice between Republican Maud Maron and incumbent Democrat Alvin Bragg. On a recent July day, Bragg could be seen painting watercolors in Washington Square Park, totally content with the reality his policies have allowed: The park has become a dangerous drug den, with addicts shooting up just a few feet away from his easel while social workers passed out free syringes for 'harm reduction.' Get opinions and commentary from our columnists Subscribe to our daily Post Opinion newsletter! Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters Maron, Bragg's November challenger, calls out harm reduction for what it is —'Orwellian doublespeak.' Advertisement 'It is harm amplification,' she told me, 'trapping addicts in their addiction and ruining public spaces for everyone else.' Even before Trump's new executive order, Mayor Eric Adams had indicated his support for involuntarily hospitalizing violently mentally ill vagrants. But in the upcoming mayoral election, leading challenger Zohran Mamdani is clearly on the side of the vagrants, not the public. Advertisement He insists the city should provide 'outreach' and services to the unhoused wherever they choose to flop, including in the subways. Mamdani wants to turn empty retail stores in subway stations into drop-in hubs for vagrants, a reckless proposal. Creating magnets that draw more homeless people into the subways would be a gut punch for New Yorkers who must ride the rails to get to work or school. Mamdani has been pushing this proposal throughout his three terms in the state Assembly — elected each time with no Republican opponent in the general election to question him. Advertisement One-party rule greased the skids for Mamdani to rise to the mayoral race. Adams succeeded in getting Gov. Kathy Hochul to include in this year's state budget a change in the state's involuntary commitment law, expanding it to apply to those incapable of meeting their own basic needs, not just those who are deemed dangerous. That's a step in the right direction — but Mamdani would take the city backward, ceding the streets to the crazies. The American Civil Liberties Union bashed Trump's proposal to hospitalize the severely mentally ill, saying it 'displays remarkable disdain' for 'vulnerable people.' The National Alliance to End Homelessness condemned it as 'undignified.' Advertisement But having to hug the subway wall for fear of getting pushed onto the tracks by a crazy person is undignified, too. Compassion for the homeless must be balanced with the safety and orderliness the rest of us deserve. Bragg and Mamdani overlook that imperative. Voters be warned. Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York and co-founder of the Committee to Save Our City.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Why it's important to protect your hearing as you age – and what experts suggest
A recent study examined the potential link between hearing loss and dementia, suggesting that treating hearing loss can help the brain. Although the possible connection is still being untangled, study co-author and audiologist Nicholas Reed advises prioritizing hearing health regardless. 'There are already more than enough established benefits related to hearing care,' says Reed, a faculty member of the NYU Langone Health Optimal Aging Institute. What's especially important about supporting hearing health is the effect it has on keeping people engaged in the world, Reed explains. Here's what experts recommend in order to support your hearing as you age. How does hearing loss occur? Hearing loss can result from a wide range of genetic and environmental factors, such as chronic diseases and smoking. Some also experience age-related hearing loss, called presbycusis. Hearing loss is 'not about volume', Reed explains. Instead, it's a clarity issue. We lose our hearing at different frequencies at different rates, which can make sounds garbled. Related: I thought I was a bad listener. Turns out, I couldn't hear There is a tendency to 'normalize hearing loss as we age to some extent', says Reed. Other conditions can seem more pressing, and hearing loss becomes a low priority. There can be 'downstream effects' in a healthcare context because hearing loss can hinder patient-provider communication, says Reed. What is the relationship between hearing loss and dementia? Early research suggests that hearing loss is associated with increased cognitive decline and an increased risk of new cases of dementia, although further studies are needed to understand this connection. Researchers have not, however, found a cause-and-effect relationship between hearing loss and dementia. Reed and his colleagues wanted to calculate the number of cases of dementia there could be in a population if a potential risk factor, in this case hearing loss, was eliminated. They used a sample of nearly 3,000 adults aged 66 to 90 and found 32% of the dementia risk in the sample group was potentially associated with audiometric hearing loss (hearing loss measured through testing). According to the authors, these results suggest that treating hearing loss may delay the onset of dementia in some older adults. However, this research cannot establish whether hearing loss causes dementia, explains co-author Jason Smith, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of North Carolina. One potential reason hearing loss is associated with cognitive changes is that it can lead to more social isolation, which may strain the brain and affect memory, says Reed. Another theory is that because auditory signals stimulate the brain, the lack of stimulation caused by hearing loss can lead to accelerated brain atrophy. If hearing problems are linked to an increased risk of dementia, are there ways to reduce that risk? An influential 2020 Lancet report recommended the use of hearing aids and protecting ears from excessive noise exposure. A 2023 analysis found a connection between the use of devices like hearing aids and a decreased risk of cognitive decline. However, further research is needed. What can you do to prevent hearing loss? Hearing loss is not an inevitable part of ageing. But certain factors, such as age-related changes to the inner ear and auditory nerve, as well as genetics, are beyond our control. We can still mitigate the likelihood of damage from other causes. For example, we can manage conditions associated with hearing loss, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. We can also limit exposure to sources of damaging noise, like construction equipment, lawn mowers, motorcycles and loud music. Small actions, like protecting your hearing at a loud concert with over-ear headphones, which Reed prefers to earplugs, can have a big impact. Related: Get some earplugs – and never remove wax at home: 16 ways to protect your hearing, chosen by audiologists 'A healthy lifestyle and healthy listening habits can go a long way,' says Reed. Reed also recommends that people start getting their hearing tested in their late 30s or 40s. Establishing a baseline can help you identify changes over time, and indicate if and when new habits might be useful. The longer you live with impaired hearing, the harder it is to adjust to tools like hearing aids. Is it possible to reverse hearing loss? Several treatments and devices can help alleviate hearing loss, but their effectiveness depends on the individual. If you suspect you have hearing issues, it's best to have your hearing checked and discuss options with your healthcare provider. Hearing aids can be purchased over-the-counter or with a prescription. Reed says learning how to wear them takes time and practice. There's a critical public health need to expand coverage for these tools, says Smith, because it's well-established that hearing aids can improve quality of life. While studies haven't proven that hearing aids will delay dementia, scientists are intrigued by their potential to support brain health. 'The idea is that, in theory, if a person uses hearing aids, communication becomes easier and you lower the burden of cognitive load,' says Reed. 'You're stimulating the brain with more auditory signals.' Staying engaged in social networks is key to maintaining mental and physical wellbeing, says Reed. In a 2025 study, Reed and colleagues found that, among people with hearing loss, participants who received hearing aids and were counseled on their use experienced less loneliness and social isolation. They also had more varied types of connections, such as friends, family and acquaintances. Similarly, assistive technologies may help. These range widely in function and design, but generally amplify sound, reduce background noise, and improve communication. For example, apps that convert speech to text can assist with phone calls, and personal amplifiers can enhance hearing in conversations. People with mild to moderate hearing loss may find some relief in settings like crowded restaurants through items like the Apple AirPods Pro 2, which feature a built-in hearing aid, says Reed. In some instances, what can help a person manage hearing loss best is how they are supported by their community. There's a need for more equitable environments that support people with sensory health needs, says Smith. 'Some communication tips can go really far,' says Reed. 'Good communication is looking someone in the face. It's speaking slowly. It's about rephrasing and adding context.'
