Loneliness, hearing loss and dementia: what you can change
Social ConnectionKey points
- 12 modifiable factors are linked to about 40% of dementia cases.
- They include social isolation, hearing loss, inactivity, blood pressure, smoking, alcohol, diabetes and depression.
- Midlife hearing loss is the largest single modifiable factor.
- Prevention works across the whole lifespan.
What the Lancet Commission found
The 2020 Lancet Commission on dementia prevention identified 12 modifiable risk factors that together account for about 40% of dementia cases worldwide: less education in early life; hearing loss, traumatic brain injury, hypertension, excessive alcohol use and obesity in midlife; and smoking, depression, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution and diabetes in later life. Hearing loss had the largest population-attributable fraction, about 8% (Livingston et al., 2020).
Social connection
Social isolation is linked to higher dementia risk, and loneliness and isolation are linked to higher mortality (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015). Hearing loss can itself lead to isolation, compounding the risk.
What you can do
- Get your hearing checked and use hearing aids if needed.
- Stay socially active: groups, volunteering, family.
- Move regularly (Bull et al., 2020).
- Control blood pressure and diabetes.
- Do not smoke and limit alcohol.
- Treat depression.
Frequently asked questions
Do hearing aids lower dementia risk?
Hearing loss is linked to higher risk, and treating it may help. A 2023 trial (ACHIEVE) suggested benefits for people at higher risk.
Is it ever too late to lower risk?
No. The Commission found risk factors matter in early life, midlife and later life.
Sources
- Livingston et al. (2020). Dementia prevention, intervention, and care: 2020 report of the Lancet Commission. The Lancet 396(10248):413-446. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30367-6
- Holt-Lunstad et al. (2015). Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality. Perspectives on Psychological Science 10(2):227-237. doi:10.1177/1745691614568352
- Bull et al. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British Journal of Sports Medicine 54(24):1451-1462. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955
Keep reading
Social Connection Pets and health: what research says about dog ownership
What an American Heart Association meta-analysis of 3.8 million people found about dog ownership, mortality and heart attack survival.
Social ConnectionKindness and helping others: how it affects you
What a meta-analysis found about acts of kindness and happiness, why spending money on others boosts well-being and simple kindness ideas.
Social ConnectionCouples and health: why relationship quality matters
What a meta-analysis of 126 studies found about marital quality and health, why conflict matters and what keeps relationships healthy.
Related topics from other pillars
Physical Activity · Guide Physical activity: how much exercise do adults need?
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans in plain English: 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, muscle strengthening and why every minute counts.
Physical Activity Sitting too much: the health risks of a desk job and how to offset them
Why prolonged sitting is linked to higher mortality even in people who exercise, how much activity offsets it and simple habits for the workday.
Physical Activity Strength training at home in 15 minutes: why and how
Why guidelines recommend muscle strengthening twice a week, what a meta-analysis found about strength training and longevity, and a 15-minute no-equipment routine.
Social Connection tools
Three-item loneliness scale (UCLA-3)
Three questions used in major U.S. studies of loneliness.
QuizDe Jong Gierveld loneliness scale (6 items)
Measures emotional and social loneliness.
QuizOslo Social Support Scale (OSSS-3)
Three questions about who you can count on.
PDF · WorksheetMy connections map
A worksheet for mapping your social network and planning contact.
PDF · Tracker"One get-together a week" tracker
A monthly tracker of social contact.
PDF · CardsFamily dinner conversation cards
24 questions for phone-free conversation at the table.