The Trouble With Hearing Aids

Many older people I know would say they have had a problematic relationship with hearing aids.

First of all, they cost a fortune – typically about $3000 each – and Medicare doesn’t cover them.

Secondly, they get lost so easily! They’re tiny and one lady I know lost hers in her sheets and it all got put in the retirement home laundry, never to be found again. 

And lastly, they are tricky to get fitted, to get used to, and oftentimes they don’t work that well, especially at first. It’s important to find a top-notch provider and to have patience through trial experiments and fittings.

Here’s the toughest problem, though, and it’s not about the hearing aids – it’s about hearing loss.

Without good hearing, older people start to feel more and more isolated. As their hearing deteriorates, it’s challenging for them to hear much at all in public spaces where ambient noise is present – places such as church, restaurants, auditoriums. So, they tend not to go out anymore which leads to isolation and loneliness.

So older people experiencing hearing loss are in a bit of a Catch-22. They need to be able to hear in order to participate fully in relationships and their social lives.  And they need to be able to find one that works that they can afford.  

Here’s a good article published by Consumer Reports called “How to Select a Hearing Aid Provider“. Its full of good tips and can help an older person and/or their family take some first steps towards getting help.