And because its behavioral manifestations often mimic those of Alzheimer's disease, hearing loss in older people may be mistakenly diagnosed as dementia. Age is the most significant factor associated with hearing loss. The elderly are seven times more likely to be hearing-impaired than people under age 45. More than half of all adults with hearing loss severe enough to make communication problematic are at least 65 years old. In fact, an estimated 60 percent of Americans over 65 have some degree of hearing impairment.
Cost is one obstacle to hearing aid use.
There are more than 1,200 different types of hearing aids on the market today. The smallest hearing aid is the canal model, which can help those with mild hearing loss. Medicare does not cover the cost of hearing aids. There are other devices which may help in the home for the hearing impaired. Other possible helps might be sign language interpreters and lip-reading techniques.