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By Sharon Johnson for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Sharon Johnson for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 20, 2016 @ 12:01 am By Sharon Johnson for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 20, 2016 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Like 22 percent of women and a far greater percentage of men over age 70, I have age-related hearing loss. I sometimes pretend I hear what someone says because I don’t want to ask them to repeat themselves — again. My husband and I choose restaurants to patronize based on their noise level. If we err in that selection, we ask them to turn down the background music that always seems to be playing. Once we left before we ordered. Once we considered leaving after we ordered. As I write this column, my hearing aids rest in a tiny ceramic dish on my desk in front of me. When I purchased them several years ago they cost more than my computer, my printer and my iPad combined — a lot more. In the beginning, I kept them in a soft-padded case that I guarded ferociously — I am more casual now. Probably at my peril. Almost two-thirds of older Americans have “meaningful hearing loss,” but only about 20 percent have hearing aids. Sometimes it’s about procrastination or outright denial, but usually it’s because those darn things cost so much. You’d think Medicare would cover that cost. Nope. Insurance companies perhaps? Not any I’ve heard about. We have two eyes for which many of us need prescription glasses. Insurance offers at least partial coverage when there’s a need for new lenses. We have two ears, as well. I envision a time when we treat hearing aids like eyeglasses. A time when the cost is reasonable, and people opt to enhance their hearing in the same way they do their vision. I have some bad news and a few harsh truths, as well as some good news. First, your hearing loss is not going to get better on its own. It’s usually a chronic condition associated with the wear and tear of aging, and the best advice anyone can offer is to get your hearing evaluated early. If for no other reason, it provides a baseline assessment of your hearing to allow you to monitor changes over time. By the way, Medicare will cover a formal assessment by an audiologist if you have a physician’s referral. The really good news is increasingly high-profile attention is being paid to old ears. As relayed in a recent New York Times article, (“A Push for Less Expensive Hearing Aids,” March, 2016) there are “developments that might lead to more rational policies and more affordable and accessible devices.” A formal report from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology strongly recommended “simultaneously decrease the costs of hearing aids, spur technology innovation and increase consumer choice options.” In June, a continuing cross-agency analysis (the collaborators include Centers for Disease Control, National Institute on Aging, Food and Drug Administration and the Pentagon) will issue another report. I hear it might be earth-rattling. As increasing attention is paid to hearing health, the experts will be looking for our ideas. Here’s one. Develop a reliable, no-nonsense hearing aid that universally addresses mild to moderate loss. Sell it over the counter, perhaps in the aisle next to the electric toothbrushes and contact lenses. Maybe there’s even a coupon — and the padded case is free. Sharon Johnson is a retired Oregon State University associate professor emeritus. Reach her at [email protected]. By Sharon Johnson for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Sharon Johnson for the Mail Tribune Posted Mar. 20, 2016 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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