HEARING LOSS INITIATIVES FROM THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES AND THE WHITE HOUSE—RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROGRESS

Two-thirds of adults 70 years or older have a clinically-significant hearing loss, but less than 20% of these individuals receive any form of treatment. Importantly, the potential functional consequences of age-related hearing loss for older adults are beginning to surface in epidemiologic studies demonstrating independent associations of hearing loss with cognitive functioning, dementia, and poorer physical functioning. However, for the vast majority of these adults, hearing health care (HHC) remains unaffordable and inaccessible. Recent national initiatives in the United States coming from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and from the White House President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) are focused on increasing the accessibility of HHC and addressing hearing loss as a critical and neglected public health priority. This symposium will present the findings from the NASEM consensus study report and from the PCAST report to the President. Subsequent presentations will highlight early research studies that are addressing report recommendations through exploring innovative, accessible, and affordable models of HHC delivery for older adults.