Access to hearing aids is much easier than it used to be

Hearing aids don't just help you hear better, they also help lower the risk of cognitive decline in older adults with hearing impairments by a staggering 50%. To boot, access to the best hearing aids available to consumers has literally never been easier than in recent years. Prior to the FDA's 2022 ruling, hearing aids would only be available to you via a hearing test and subsequent prescription. The 2022 ruling allows hearing aids to be sold over-the-counter (OTC), with no prescription necessary. Now, you can find incredibly high-quality over-the-counter hearing aids at virtually all major retailers and pharmacies. Not only are they easier to access, but the cost has become much more palatable with more affordable options, particularly hearing aid options geared to seniors, available. Prescription hearing aids can cost close to three- to four thousand per hearing aid; OTC options are not only a welcomed affordable alternative, they work incredibly well, are often Bluetooth-compatible hearing aids, and are just as good as prescription aids.

Amanda Cooper, a licensed hearing aid specialist, tells us "The average individual waits seven to 10 years after they first notice hearing loss to take steps toward addressing their changes in hearing." That has a lot to do with the stigma once attached to wearing aids for hearing; however, with more access by consumers, the competition to create more attractive and effective options has increased, too. There are now dozens of highly effective invisible hearing aids that were not available ten 10 years ago. Nowadays, you can get hearing aids that work well, are discreet and effective, in a price range that is comfortable for your budget, and all without a trip to the doctor.