Geriatric hearing loss: myths, realities, resources for physicians.

The recommended protocol for receiving a hearing aid is: a hearing evaluation to determine candidacy for a hearing aid and/or ALD; an examination by a physician to rule out medical contraindication to hearing aid use; hearing aid selection and fitting by a dispensing audiologist or a hearing aid dealer; hearing aid orientation/counseling. It is well accepted that sensorineural hearing loss is one of the most frequent by-products of the aging process, with prevalence ranging from 30 to 50%. The hearing loss and resulting difficulty understanding speech can have a negative effect on the quality of one's daily activities and, hence, can interfere with the enjoyment of an elderly individual's remaining years. The myths of "hearing loss as an inevitable part of aging" no longer prevail, however. Advances in biomedical technology have enabled the development of smaller hearing aids with wide fitting ranges, making hearing aids a realistic option for the majority of elderly hearing-impaired individuals. To maximize benefit from hearing aids, the elderly must be identified early via routine hearing screening and referred to an audiologist for evaluation and management.