285 Hearing Loss and Brain Health - Why Better Hearing May Aid in Supporting Healthy Longevity with Robert C Keefer PhD

Could difficulty hearing conversations today affect your brain health, independence and quality of life in the years ahead? Hearing loss is often treated as a minor inconvenience of growing older, yet it can affect communication, relationships, social connection, confidence and independence. In this episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with hearing-health advocate and author Robert "Bob" Keefer, MD, about the association between hearing loss and cognitive decline, why so many people delay seeking help for hearing deficits and what questions to ask before choosing a hearing-care provider. Listeners will learn how hearing is assessed, why the fitting of a hearing aid matters, and how proactive hearing care may support brain health and healthy longevity.  Dr. Gillian also shares her own experience of unequal hearing following a minor head injury, feeling she had no time to follow up, and her decision to arrange a new audiology assessment after this podcast.

Bob Keefer,is a physician, hearing-health and Alzheimer's-prevention advocate, author and former founder of an audiology clinic. After discovering that many hearing-care professionals were not consistently using their profession's recommended fitting practices, he created a clinic centred on evidence-informed care. His books, Hear Better, Live Longer and The Alzheimer's Hearing Aid Paradox, explore the relationship between hearing, cognition and quality of life, as well as the importance of properly assessed and fitted hearing aids. 

Episode Timeline:

00:11 — Welcome to Growing Older Living Younger  

00:30 — Why hearing health matters for brain health and independence  

04:31 — Bob Keefer's path from medical-product consulting to hearing-health advocacy  

07:59 — Why millions of people delay hearing tests and hearing aids  

11:19 — Dr. Gillian's personal experience with unequal hearing after a head injury  

13:56 — When family members notice hearing loss first—and how to start the conversation  

16:23 — Hearing loss, cognitive decline and dementia: what the research can and cannot show  

24:02 — How better hearing may improve connection, confidence and quality of life  

26:03 — Choosing a hearing-care provider and asking about real-ear measurement  

27:50 — What to expect during hearing testing and hearing-aid fitting  

30:54 — One practical action to take for hearing and brain health  

32:22 — Closing thoughts and invitation to create your healthy-aging roadmap  

Contact Robert C Keefer MD

Website:  https://www.hearbetterlivelonger.com/
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobertkeefer
Book information:  https://www.hearbetterlivelonger.com/  

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