Barriers to Hearing Health Care for Aging Adults: Reframing the Conversation

Untreated age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is associated with poor health and social outcomes. Treating hearing loss can mitigate these serious issues. Although there are documented barriers to care, we can look at these barriers and potential solutions differently if we view ARHL as a gradual onset, chronic condition. This provides a framework from which to solve problems in line with how other chronic health conditions experienced by aging adults are approached. With this lens, it becomes evident that early identification and treatment of ARHL can be supported by universal senior hearing screening, appropriate Medicare coverage for devices and services, and direct access to audiological care as well as avenues for self-care are necessary ingredients to change the hearing health care landscape.