Considerations are lifestyle, budget, dexterity and cosmetic needs. Don't pay for the bells and whistles if you don't need them. If you watch TV all day, are isolated, don't go out to eat, you are not needing something so advanced. It depends on the nature of the hearing loss, too, Bowers says. People who hear well at lower pitches but not at the high end are good candidates for digital hearing aids.
Bowers says there are a lot of good programmable traditional aids, too.
Most elderly people need hearing aids for both ears, Warner says, because they suffer from symmetrical hearing loss. But clients who only have hearing loss on one side can save money by buying only one device. And some people might not need hearing aids. Assisted living devices are available for people with minimal hearing loss, Carson says. Those include amplified telephones, televisions and alarm clocks or flashing lights for the doorbell.