Hearing nonaccomplishment can hap astatine immoderate age—including birth—but it’s astir communal among older adults. Data shows that about a 3rd of group 65 and older person age-related proceeding loss, jumping to 50 percent aft property 75. For these individuals, a hearing aid tin importantly heighten their value of life, allowing them to afloat prosecute successful societal activities aliases talk freely connected nan phone.
Until 2022, erstwhile nan US Food and Drug Administration green-lit over-the-counter (OTC) proceeding aids, seniors could only get proceeding immunodeficiency prescribed by a doctor. The FDA’s support of OTC devices opened nan doorway to accrued entree and little costs, and today, location are much styles disposable than ever. For galore seniors, behind-the-ear (BTE) devices are popular, though in-the-ear (ITE) models are fantabulous choices for those who want a much discreet action and tin maneuver them without dexterity challenges. Based connected our testing, nan Jabra Enhance Select 300 tops our database for its sound quality, precocious level of customer service, and easiness of use. Here’s our afloat database of proceeding immunodeficiency for seniors, including over-the-counter and medicine devices, each expert-tested and approved.
Updated August 2025: We've reformatted this guideline and added nan Starkey Edge AI RIC RT, AirPods Pro 2, and Sony CRE-C20.
What to Consider When Choosing a Hearing Aid
Today’s hearing aids person a bevy of features ranging from Bluetooth streaming connectivity to aggregate modes that let you to set nan instrumentality to changing surroundings. Here’s what elder users request to support an oculus retired for.
Style: Behind-the-ear (BTE) aliases in-the-ear (ITE) aids? If you don’t mind a highly visible hunk of integrative hanging from your receptor each day, BTE immunodeficiency will beryllium fine. Those who don’t want to telegraph their proceeding nonaccomplishment will find ITE models overmuch much discreet. We moreover person a brace of proceeding assistance glasses if you really want to hide your proceeding loss.
Ease of use: Hearing immunodeficiency are mini things moreover dependable hands tin person problem with. Are nan devices easy to put connected and return off? Are in-app support options and nan manual intuitive? The much apt you are to region and switch your proceeding immunodeficiency passim nan day, nan much important easiness of usage will be.
Remote expert support: Prescription proceeding immunodeficiency require a expert visit, but OTC immunodeficiency person a immense scope of aesculapian backup, ranging from a afloat telehealth acquisition to nary astatine all. If you’re superior astir improving your proceeding you’ll want entree to nan former. If your proceeding conscionable needs a small boost, this will beryllium little important.
Battery technology: Most proceeding immunodeficiency coming usage lithium-ion batteries that recharge by dropping them into a lawsuit (which itself carries other charges). But immunodeficiency pinch replaceable batteries still exist—and immoderate are beautiful good. Replaceable batteries past overmuch longer, but you’ll person to support buying extras and support them connected hand. They’re besides easy to suffer (and for pets to swallow). Most proceeding immunodeficiency these days opt for rechargeable, truthful this is thing of a dying breed.
Cost: Even “cheap” proceeding immunodeficiency tin beryllium expensive, and astir security plans don’t screen them. Make judge your chosen marque is wrong your budget—look for companies that connection easy returns and a 100 percent money-back guarantee.
Can I Get Senior Hearing Aids Through Medicare?
Hearing immunodeficiency are still not covered by Medicare, truthful you will apt person to ft 100 percent of nan measure for your devices and exams. Private security aliases add-on Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C) whitethorn see immoderate hearing-related benefits. Consult pinch your existing wellness attraction supplier to navigate your options. Outside of insurance, location whitethorn beryllium different ways to soften nan rustle of nan disbursal of proceeding aids.
Like a car loan, financing is available from astir proceeding assistance companies. You tin unfastened a statement of in installments pinch a proceeding attraction master and salary successful installments—sometimes for up to 3 years. Good in installments is required.
Some states require backstage wellness insurance companies to screen proceeding aids, while different companies whitethorn connection hearing-focused plans for purchase. Shop around.
You whitethorn suffice for Medicaid, depending connected your financial situation. Some states, specified arsenic California and Massachusetts, require these plans to supply proceeding assistance coverage.
FSA/HSA accounts (short for elastic spending accounts and wellness redeeming accounts) are disposable via employer-sponsored wellness plans. Some proceeding assistance brands will let you to usage these accounts to salary for devices.
Local and nationalist nonprofits whitethorn thief supply financial alleviation by covering immoderate aliases each of nan costs of proceeding immunodeficiency if you don’t person nan intends to salary for them yourself.
The marketplace is crowded pinch proceeding immunodeficiency claiming to beryllium nan champion prime for seniors, and choosing 1 tin beryllium confusing. Which ones are “best” for you depends connected your needs and tastes, but moreover that tin consciousness vague and clichéd. To benignant done nan options, I’ve spent nan past 4 years conducting hands-on testing of much than 45 proceeding immunodeficiency that scope from sub-$100 OTC devices to medicine proceeding immunodeficiency that costs up to $10,000 a pair. I analyse each merchandise connected galore dimensions, including quality, comfortableness level, easiness of use, and of people audio capacity successful a assortment of real-world environments, including my home, outdoors, and noisy and quiet environments. Additional features specified arsenic Bluetooth streaming capabilities are besides taken into relationship erstwhile making recommendations.
Ultimately, my extremity is to move down nan sound connected trading and thief users understand which proceeding immunodeficiency really present connected their promises. Read our Best Hearing Aids guide for further specifications astir our testing process.
2 months ago
English (US) ·
Indonesian (ID) ·