Though there are an estimated 48 million Americans in the US who suffer from some degree of hearing loss, statistics report that 85% of people who would benefit from a hearing do not use them. In part, studies have determined that it takes seven years, on average, from the time a person first recognizes symptoms of hearing loss until the time they take a hearing test or seek treatment. Another reason, unfortunately, is the fact that hearing aids are costly and are denied by Medicare, and only covered in part by some insurance.
Many concerns have been raised about the seemingly prohibitive costs of hearing aids. If in recent years, personal portable electronic devices have shrunk in size and are affordable to average consumers, some have argued, then why do hearing aids continue to appear unattainable at the price range of $1,500 to $3,500 per unit? (For binaural hearing aid wearers, the cost is doubled.)
Though there is no definitive answer, perhaps one reason lies in the transformative power of the devices themselves. Hearing aids are highly advanced, innovative, and extraordinary electrical instruments that essentially replicate the auditory process for people who are hard of hearing. The first hearing instruments were created in the 17th century, but in the past few decades, hearing aids have caught up with contemporary digital technology trends.
Currently, there are hearing aids that connect to smart phones and personal devices, such as tablets and iPods, not to mention home entertainment systems (TV, stereos), and on a wider scale, induction loop systems to connect sound systems directly to hearing aids. Some hearing aids allow wearers to control volume and switch programs via smart phone apps, while the option exist to geo-tag wearers’ preferences in specific locations, which allows for a streamlined, personalized listening experience as they move through the world.
In recent years, hearing aids have undergone a renaissance in both form and content. Gone are the traditional, ostensible clunky plastic devices. Now, hearing aids come in a range of styles, with some appearing to be completely invisible, enabling wearers with a sense of confidence. Hearing aids these days come with any combination of thoughtful programming features that inhibit feedback whistling sounds, increase focus on specific sounds, adjust volume and tone as determined by the wearer’s environment, and allow for more active lifestyles with water resistant construction and wind guards and longer-lasting rechargeable models.
The creative innovation and level of expediency at which hearing aids have transformed require an exorbitant amount of research. Some major hearing aid manufacturers fund their own groundbreaking research about how the brain works during the auditory process (i.e. Oticon’s BrainHearing technology, with supporting research from the Ericksholm Institute), while others are dedicated to empowering hearing aid wearers with almost superhuman hearing abilities (i.e. Siemens’ Binax series, which has been proven to outperform normal hearing in challenging noise situations). Of course, this level of advancement comes at a fiscal cost.
However, when we consider the detrimental costs of untreated hearing loss on one’s physical and emotional well-being, with potential risks linked to dementia, higher cases of accidents and falls, and overall increased levels of depression and social isolation, the priceless value of high-performing hearing aids, and the benefits they bring to a person dealing with hearing loss, come to light.