Hearing Loss and Brain Health: What’s Your Brain Care Score?

Every day, patients and their families ask, “What can I do to take care of my brain and lower my risk of dementia?” The good news is that science has given us an answer. The Brain Care Score is a simple, research-backed tool that helps people understand the key lifestyle and health factors that impact long-term brain health.

The hearing healthcare providers across the ExcellenceInAudiology.org network have teamed up with the team of specialist at PreventingDecline.com to play a vital role in this equation.

Hearing loss is one of the most significant, yet overlooked, risk factors for cognitive decline. Treating hearing loss is not just about improving communication—it’s about protecting the brain and reducing the risk of dementia, stroke, and cognitive decline.

What Is the Brain Care Score?

Developed at Massachusetts General Hospital’s McCance Center for Brain Health, the Brain Care Score evaluates 12 key factors that influence brain health across three domains:

? Physical Health: Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body mass index

? Lifestyle: Nutrition, alcohol intake, smoking, aerobic activity, and sleep quality

? Social-Emotional Well-being: Stress management, social connections, and sense of purpose

Each factor contributes to an overall score, with higher scores linked to a lower risk of dementia, stroke, and even depression.

Hearing Loss and Brain Health: A Critical Link

For years, hearing loss has been mistakenly viewed as a minor inconvenience—something that happens with age but carries little consequence beyond difficulty in conversations. We now know that untreated hearing loss is a major contributor to declines in social, emotional, physical, and cognitive health.

Hearing is a complex brain function, requiring constant neural activity to process sound. When hearing loss goes untreated, the brain receives less stimulation, forcing it to reallocate resources from memory, cognition, and executive function just to compensate. Over time, this contributes to:

?? Increased risk of dementia (up to 5X higher with untreated severe hearing loss)

?? Faster brain shrinkage and structural changes seen on MRI scans

?? Greater likelihood of social withdrawal and depression, both of which impact brain health

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Fortunately, treating hearing loss can significantly reduce these risks. Studies show that prescription hearing treatment can slow cognitive decline and help maintain brain function over time.

Why Hearing Healthcare Providers Are Essential

The Brain Care Score was designed to empower people to take control of their brain health—and treating hearing loss must be part of the plan. Hearing healthcare providers play a crucial role in helping patients maintain their cognitive health by:

? Identifying and treating hearing loss early

? Educating patients about the link between hearing and brain function

? Providing prescription hearing treatment tailored to individual needs

? Offering ongoing care to ensure optimal hearing and cognitive support

All of the hearing healthcare professionals across the ExcellenceInAudiology.org network think ‘brain first’. By prioritizing hearing care, hearing healthcare providers can actively help to prevent decline in their patients.

Find Your Brain Care Score

Where do you stand? Patients and providers alike can benefit from understanding their Brain Care Score and identifying areas for improvement. Take the first step by visiting PreventingDecline.com to calculate your Brain Care Score.

For patients, this is an opportunity to take control of their brain health. For hearing healthcare providers, it’s a way to integrate neuroscience-backed strategies into patient care and emphasize the critical role of hearing in preventing decline.

The best time to take action is now. Treating hearing loss is more than just improving communication—it’s a key factor in protecting your brain for life.