Cardano says hearing is key to aging well

Dr. Larry Cardano, an audiologist from the Hearing Center of Long Island, has been a boon to scores of patients across the South Shore and beyond in taking care of their hearing and by extension, their quality of life. His insatiable passion for his profession is matched only by his desire to share what he’s learned with anyone who will, in a manner of speaking, lend an ear.

“Learning and teaching are two things that make me feel fulfilled and are ways I think I can be of service to others,” said Cardano who has been an audiologist since 1989. He opened his practice in Valley Stream in 1996. Recently, he delivered a presentation at a symposium at The Bristal in North Woodmere on a common yet overlooked complication: tinnitus.

Those suffering from it usually experience an incessant ringing or buzzing in the ear and it affects an estimated 10 to 25 percent of adults at varying degrees. Most who have tinnitus suffer from some form of hearing loss and “hearing loss is the number one modifiable risk factor for dementia,” according to Cardano. Modifiable means that people can take active steps to reduce their hearing loss, which can lower your risk of dementia, though the exact relationship between the two conditions is not as well understood.

“People often don’t realize that if you have proper treatment of hearing loss, it will slow down cognitive decline, the perception of tinnitus, and reduce the incidence of depression and social isolation,” said Cardano.

On the top list of concerns over getting older for senior citizens is losing their mental acuity and independence, said Cardano, and research has shown that the health measure with the biggest impact in “reducing your risk of dementia is taking care of your hearing.” 

“I’ve seen so many patients whose quality of life has been, you know, really impacted unnecessarily because their hearing wasn’t treated properly,” said Cardano who sees preventing needless suffering for his clients as his prime motivation. It’s also the reason why he’s devoted hours pouring into research journals and studies to stay up to date with the best evidence-backed strategies for healthy aging. 

He’s sought to boil down and condense years of research into practical, easy-to-read bits of information through his books and newsletter. He will be hosting a free seminar, “Healthy Aging and Your Hearing,” to discuss these same topics in greater depth on Jan. 25 at 11 a.m. at The Bristal in Lynbrook. There, he will be handing out copies of his latest book: “The Hearing Clarity Solution: How to improve and maintain your mental acuity and quality of life with better hearing.”