Hearing Loss and the Elderly

Hearing loss occurs in approximately two-thirds of Americans who are 70 and above, according to a recent study. A survey, which was conducted by the National Health and Nutritional Examination, found that out of 715 eldery individuals, 63 percent suffered from hearing loss. It’s interesting to note that this impairment is much more common in men, and is much less common in those of African-American heritage.

Although hearing loss can greatly affect the ability to communicate, many older adults opt out of hearing aids. Dr. Frank R. Lin, author of a medical journal relating to gerontology, explains, “There’s a general perception that hearing loss in older adults is not very important.”

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