Hearing loss is the #1 modifiable midlife dementia risk factor. Bigger than smoking. Bigger than physical inactivity. Bigger than depression. The 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia put it at 7% of all cases globally. That means roughly 1 in 14 dementia diagnoses might be preventable just by treating hearing loss properly. Most people are stunned when I tell them this. They expect the answer to be diet. Or supplements. Or some new drug. It's a hearing aid. I bring this up a lot because not a single week goes by where I'm not having this conversation with multiple people who have experienced untreated hearing loss for years. Here's what the evidence shows: 1. The risk is dose-dependent ↳ Every 10 decibels of hearing loss raises dementia risk by roughly 16% ↳ Even mild hearing loss matters 2. Hearing aids appear to slow cognitive decline ↳ The 2023 ACHIEVE trial found a 48% reduction in cognitive decline over 3 years in high-risk older adults who used hearing aids ↳ That's a bigger effect than any dementia drug currently on the market 3. The brain pays a price for hearing loss in three ways ↳ More cognitive load - your brain works overtime to fill in missing words ↳ Brain atrophy - the auditory cortex shrinks faster ↳ Social withdrawal - you stop joining conversations, then events, then friendships 4. Most adults wait years before getting tested ↳ The average person waits 7 to 10 years from first noticing hearing loss to seeking help ↳ By then, the cognitive damage has already started What I tell my patients in their 40s and 50s: If you find yourself turning up the TV. If you say "what?" more than you used to. If group conversations exhaust you. If your spouse keeps saying you're not listening. Get a hearing test. Not in 5 years. This year. Hearing aids today are nothing like the hearing aids your grandfather wore. Many fit invisibly in the ear. Many connect to your phone. The cheaper over-the-counter options keep getting better. Brain health is built on small decisions made decades before symptoms appear. This is one of the most powerful ones.

Sorry, im not going to make it tonight. I have an Alzheimers volunteer zoom i have to attend. I'll check it later though! Have a great poolside!

On January 27 at 5:30 PM MST, join us for a live Poolside Chat as we continue the discussion from our Port of Call Podcast and go deeper into what dementia really is—and what it means when you’re just beginning a caregiving journey. This is a space to learn, ask questions, and feel supported. Whether you’re noticing early signs, supporting a loved one, or simply trying to make sense of what comes next, you’re welcome here. Free to join. Come listen, share, or simply be present. January 27th @ 5:30 pm MST Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/PRzPtXKIRf-NNdHzhSToUg

A couple weeks ago, I was coaching a group of women and one of them told us, "It has been a tough year." She explained some of the challenges her family has faced and I could tell there was more she wasn't sharing. She felt defeated, tired, and frustrated. Understandably so. But what she felt at the end of the session was different. A shift in energy. A shift in perspective. Because together we decided that she has every right to feel like a victim. It's just not helping create what she wants in her life today or in the future. And so I suggested that she also has every right to feel like a superhero. Because she is. In fact the hero story is more true than the victim story, because she's handled every single obstacle. She's figured it out. She's pivoted, adjusted, gotten scrappy and made it work. Like a superhero. Wonder Woman doesn't need to show up when things are easy. She shows up when things are hard. The more difficult the better. This doesn't mean she would choose to repeat those challenges. This doesn't mean she should think positively about them. It means she can stop feeling sorry for herself and start being proud of how she's handled it all. Her story is no longer about what a tough year it's been. Her new story is, " Easy or hard, I get it done. So you might want to get your notebooks out and take some notes world because I will show you how. Your welcome." Give it a try when you can. When you want to. It's OK to feel like a victim. It really is. But it just feels crummy AND it makes it so much harder for you to show up as the superhero that you are. Thank you for this, @Jocelyn Ives

Happy Thanksgiving week, everyone! In the spirit of our topic from last night's Poolside, what is something you are grateful for? If you missed it, we discussed gratitude last night, exploring how to cultivate it and find it, even during tough times. Also, learn to be patient and kind to yourself in moments when you struggle to find gratitude. Our recording is live in the Classroom Tab, under "Poolside Chats Library." ------- Also, don't forget to register for our next Poolside Chat on December 9th, where we will be talking about how to become more dementia aware in the new year and why that is so important. Register here for December 9th @ 5:30 pm MST (AZ) / 7:30 EST Plus! Don't miss out on our Holiday special Poolside on December 23rd, where we will talk about how to get through the holidays. We'll be hosting an ugly Christmas sweater/hat contest, and whoever wins will get a copy of Laura's book! So get ready! Register here for December 23rd @ 5:30 pm MST (AZ) / 7:30 EST