About half of Americans over the age of 60 experience hearing loss, and at age 70, about two thirds of people are affected. Yet, most people don't seek help by getting a hearing aid.
There are a few barriers to getting them, such as the stigma of working with a disability, the cost of testing, lack of coverage from insurance plans, and the cost of purchasing the actual device.
On average, a single pair of hearing aids can cost someone $4,700, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
Nicholas Reed, a professor of epidemiology and audiology at Johns Hopkins University, joined LAist's daily news program AirTalk.
“If you look across the entire adult population in the United States, around 20% of those who have hearing loss actually own and use a hearing aid," he said.
He added that there is evidence that suggests hearing loss is associated with cognitive decline. He also said hearing loss can increase social isolation, loneliness, and difficulty in navigating health care settings because of a breakdown in communication.
Marquita Murkison is associate director of audiology practices with the American Speech Language Hearing Association. She also joined AirTalk with some advice on making hearing aids accessible.
Murkison said people should think about their hearing healthcare as part of their regular care.
To help with that, a new FDA regulation began in 2022 and increased the availability of hearing aids. It permitted the sale of some over-the-counter options for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Prices have averaged around $1,000 a pair and require users to self-administer the hearing aids and adjust them using an app on their phone. This requirement can be challenging for some users without a smartphone.
To help with this, the FDA has created a webpage as a guide for older adults and their families.
A recent study from The Lancet found that hearing loss intervention might reduce cognitive change over three years in older adults at increased risk of cognitive decline. That means people who are older with these risks can have their cognitive abilities improved with regular intervention like hearing aids.
The same study also found some evidence that suggests hearing aid users tend live longer compared to those who never use interventions.
