Info about MES (Musical Ear Syndrome).

My mom has short term memory, and as we all know, that's often a precursor to dementia. My mom may indeed be going that way, but this could be happening as well:
I posted this question to CoPilot (an AI search engine just now):
"So, my mom has short term memory loss, and I've been thinking it is leading to dementia. That may well be the issue, but there's always the chance it is not, so I should give her the benefit of the doubt on this.
She has been telling me, that she is hearing music, songs and sometimes even talking when she is wearing her hearing aids. She has new hearing aids now, and is saying the same thing. How likely is it that she just has dementia, or is there some way both sets of her hearing aids could be picking up some radio signals? She tells me that this does not just happen in the evening hours (sundowners), but all day long."-----------------------The response from CoPilot was too lengthy to put here, but part of it was:
Quick answer: What your mom is describing is much more likely to be “musical ear syndrome” (MES)—a phenomenon linked to hearing loss—than dementia. While hearing aids can occasionally pick up interference, consistent musical hallucinations are usually the brain filling in missing sound input, not radio signals.
Musical Ear Syndrome (MES):
Definition: MES causes people with hearing loss to perceive phantom music, singing, or voices when no external sound exists.
Mechanism: The auditory cortex becomes hypersensitive when deprived of normal input. The brain “fills in the blanks” with familiar tunes or voices from memory.
Not dementia: MES is often mistaken for dementia, but it does not indicate cognitive decline. Patients usually retain insight that the sounds aren’t real.
Risk factors: Advanced age, hearing impairment, brain lesions, or certain medications.
Hearing Aids & Radio Signals:
Modern hearing aids: They use Bluetooth and wireless technology. While interference is possible, it usually sounds like static or distorted voices, not structured music.
Rare cases: Some users report faint voices or signals due to electromagnetic interference, but this is uncommon and inconsistent.
Key distinction: If your mom hears clear, repeated songs or talking, that points more toward MES than radio pickup.
Dementia vs. MES:
Dementia signs: Memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, language difficulties, and personality changes. Auditory hallucinations alone are not diagnostic.
MES signs: Musical hallucinations without broader cognitive decline. Often linked directly to hearing aid use or hearing loss.
Clinical note: MES can coexist with dementia, but by itself it doesn’t prove dementia. A medical evaluation is needed to sort this out.
What you can do:
Reassure her: MES is not a mental illness and doesn’t mean she’s “losing her mind.”
Check hearing aid settings: An audiologist can rule out interference or adjust programming.
Medical evaluation: A geriatrician or neurologist can help distinguish MES from dementia and check for contributing factors (hearing loss, medications, infections).
Coping strategies: Background noise, CBT, and stress reduction can reduce MES symptoms.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------I posted the above not to give anyone false hopes, but as a reminder that sometimes when someone you know is hard of hearing (and you think they may have demetia) keeps commenting they are hearing music, songs or talking, there is a possibility that this is going on, and this may be separate from dementia.