Did you hear that?

 I heard a very interesting presentation by an audiologist this evening.  She was very interesting and certainly seemed to know what she was talking about.  She answered several questions and I learned all about cochlear implants, which aren't just for children.  I took her little yes/no test and evidently I'm hearing alright for now.  But I was really interested in the long list of physical problems that can be exacerbated by poor hearing.  I had read recently about the connection between hearing loss and dementia, but I also learned that hearing loss is connected to depression, falling, kidney disease, and diabetes.  People with diabetes are two times as likely to have hearing loss.  Hospitalization is 32% more likely for older adults with hearing loss.  But this next statistic raises a question in my mind.  One page she handed out said in one of its bullet points "Mortality - hearing loss tied to greater risk of dying for older men."  Really??? Don't we all have a 100% risk of dying.