from Washington University School of Medicine
Many challenges are faced by people with
various degrees of dementia. One of those
challenges we all face—listening to the spoken
word in a noisy environment—is particularly
difficult for a person with dementia.
Researchers from Washington University
School of Medicine reported to the Acoustical
Society of America that even in quiet
conditions, people with mild dementia missed
about twenty percent of the words compared
to only about five percent in those without
dementia. That word understanding was
much more difficult for people with mild
dementia in noisy places. In such situations,
researchers recommend making sure the
person can see the speakers face, try to limit
background noise and speak more clearly and
slowly.