June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month — a time when we think about the many factors that shape long-term brain health. As hearing care professionals, this month holds particular meaning for us because one of the most significant and most overlooked risk factors for cognitive decline is something we work with every day: untreated hearing loss.
At Huskerland Hearing, we believe that caring for your hearing is about so much more than turning up the volume. It’s about protecting your mind, your memory, and your quality of life for years to come.
Over the past decade, researchers have established a compelling connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline. A landmark study from Johns Hopkins found that adults with mild hearing loss were twice as likely to develop dementia, with that risk increasing to three times for moderate loss and five times for severe hearing loss.
In 2020, the Lancet Commission on Dementia Prevention identified untreated hearing loss as the single largest modifiable risk factor for dementia, accounting for approximately 8% of all dementia cases worldwide. That’s a remarkable finding, and it means that addressing hearing loss could have a real, meaningful impact on brain health outcomes at a population level.
This is a question we hear from patients often, and the answer involves a few interconnected pathways.
Cognitive load. When hearing is impaired, the brain works significantly harder to process sound and fill in gaps in conversation. This mental strain, called cognitive load, draws resources away from other brain functions like memory and comprehension. Over time, this constant overexertion can accelerate cognitive fatigue and decline.
Brain structure changes. Neuroimaging studies have shown that people with hearing loss experience faster rates of brain atrophy, particularly in areas responsible for processing speech and sound. Without adequate auditory input, those neural pathways begin to weaken from lack of use.
Social isolation. Hearing loss often leads people to withdraw from social situations, skipping gatherings, avoiding phone calls, or simply nodding along rather than engaging. Social isolation is itself a well-established risk factor for depression and dementia. Staying mentally and socially engaged is one of the most powerful things we can do for our brain health, and hearing well makes that possible.
Many of our patients come to us not because they noticed a change in their hearing, but because a family member pointed it out or because they’d simply started avoiding situations that used to bring them joy. Some things to watch for include:
If any of these sound familiar, it may be time for a hearing evaluation, not just for your ears, but for your brain.
The encouraging news is that treating hearing loss appears to help. Emerging research, including a major clinical trial published in the Lancet, suggests that treating hearing loss with hearing aids in older adults at increased dementia risk can slow cognitive decline by nearly 50%. While research is ongoing, the evidence is pointing in a clear and hopeful direction.
At Huskerland Hearing, our team provides comprehensive hearing evaluations to assess the full picture of your hearing health. If hearing aids are recommended, we work with you to find the right solution for your lifestyle, budget, and hearing needs. We also offer tinnitus management for patients experiencing ringing or noise in the ears, another condition that can compound the mental burden of hearing difficulties.
We often tell our patients: you wouldn’t ignore blurry vision or a blood pressure reading that was out of range. Hearing deserves the same attention. It’s not a minor inconvenience to push through it’s a health issue with real, documented consequences for the brain and body.
This Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, we encourage you to take the step you may have been putting off. A hearing evaluation is simple, painless, and could be one of the most important things you do for your long-term health.
Ready to take care of your hearing and your brain? Our team at Huskerland Hearing is here to help. Schedule your comprehensive hearing evaluation today and take the first step toward protecting your hearing health for the long haul.
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Chelsie was born and raised in Southwest Nebraska. She is married and has one beautiful daughter. Before joining McCook Hearing Aid Center she spent 17 years as a Chiropractic Assistant and has been in customer service for 29 years.
She has always had a passion for helping others and is excited to start this new chapter to continue helping people and see them improve. Everyday is a learning experience and Chelsie has already learned so much about hearing healthcare through fellow team members. She looks forward to passing on the knowledge she has gained to help patients with their hearing needs.
When she is not working she loves cooking and the outdoors. She spends her free time traveling, riding horses, gardening and going to her daughters tennis matches.
Gary is a Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist and has been in the hearing industry for 30 years. From the first day he opened his doors, he has been serving the people of Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas areas. Gary loves to give back to his community, and one of those ways is to ensure that everyone has a place to go for their hearing needs.
During his time supporting his community, Gary has worked with hearing aids of all shapes, sizes, and from all manufactures. He has built a vast knowledge of how each device is different, and how it solves the unique needs of the patient.
Dr. Kristy M. Kurtz earned her Doctor of Audiology degree from the University of Florida in 2004. She also holds a Master of Science in Audiology and a Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders. Dr. Kurtz is licensed to practice audiology and dispense hearing aids in the states of Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri.
Dr. Kurtz possesses extensive experience across multiple facets of audiology, including hearing aid manufacturing, clinical practice in collaboration with otolaryngology physicians, and private practice settings. This breadth of experience has provided her with a comprehensive understanding of both the clinical and technological dimensions of hearing healthcare.
She is dedicated to delivering individualized, patient-centered care and is committed to improving quality of life through effective hearing rehabilitation. Dr. Kurtz utilizes her in-depth knowledge of advanced hearing aid technologies to develop tailored treatment recommendations designed to meet each patient’s unique needs and desired outcomes.
Outside of her professional responsibilities, Dr. Kurtz enjoys trail riding, spending time with her horses and golden retrievers, reading, and supporting her children through their musical and athletic pursuits.
My name is Kerrie Kirkpatrick I was born in Bismarck, N.D. but raised in central Nebraska. I have a strong history in healthcare from holding an esthetician license, dental assisting certification and a registered nursing license. Curatating creative content from photography to graphics and applying the end result to marketing has always been a passion of mine and lead to the pursuit of social media marketing management.
In my free time I enjoy sharing my passion of the equine industry with my two little girls, ages 3 years and 11 years. I grew up showing western and English riding, recently I have been dabbling in reining, lessoning in working cow and with goal of roping as well. I look forward to promoting the compassionate professionals behind HuskerLand Hearing and educating you on the best options available for your hearing health!
Caleb is a Hearing Instrument Specialist who focuses on helping people hear clearly and feel more confident in everyday situations. He takes a straightforward, no-pressure approach and makes sure his patients actually understand their hearing and the options available to them. His goal is to keep the process simple and deliver real results that improve day-to-day life.
Outside of the clinic, Caleb enjoys playing guitar and getting outdoors, especially hiking. He is married and values spending quality time with his wife, which helps him stay balanced and focused in both his personal life and his work with patients.
Meet Vivienne! She is a creative person who likes art, writing, and fashion. She often draws or sews to express her creativity. She also enjoys spending her free time learning languages, such as Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
Meet Corey! She is recently married and loving life with her husband and their sweet dog and cat. She is all about being outdoors, whether it's hiking, rock climbing, or kayaking somewhere beautiful. She loves traveling, finding new adventures, and soaking up as much nature as she can along the way.
Mickaela is the Patient Care Coordinator who keeps the billing and insurance process running. Away from the office, she loves reading, butchering Mandarin Chinese, having casual hangouts with friends, and anything to do with giraffes.
Maria is a Colorado transplant who has happily made the Midwest her home. When she's not behind the front desk chatting away with anyone who will listen, you can find her behind a camera, hanging with her husband and two sons (a German Shepherd and tuxedo cat), or cozying up with a book. Her favorite part about her job is being part of a team that helps people feel cared for through hearing care experience, support, and kindness.
Madison was born and raised in Nebraska. She is fortunate to work alongside her mother, Darci, as they do what they love. She comes from a line of hearing specialists, as her grandfather owned his business for over 35 years. Helping people hear runs in their blood. In her free time she loves spending time with her husband and their 3 cats. She finds joy in traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Darci has been in the business of helping people hear for over 35 years, working with her father in his private practice for most of that time. To Darci, what she does isn't a job, it's something that she loves. It's a passion that was handed down to her from her father that she now gets to share with her daughter. Outside of work she loves spending time outside and with her three kids and their spouses.
Cameron Ellison is the owner of Huskerland Hearing Center. Cameron and his staff absolutely cannot wait to get you living a more healthy, more engaged lifestyle through better hearing!
They are ready to handle whatever hearing issue you may be experiencing. Please feel free to reach out to Cameron or any of his staff with any questions you may have. For more of a background on Cameron and his WHY, please click the link below. Helping People Communicate Again