YORK, Pa. — New FDA-approved over-the-counter hearing aids are aiming to help curb the issue of hearing loss for thousands of seniors who haven't been able to take the proper steps to remedy the situation until now.
The small piece of technology is making a big improvement in people's lives.
Ashley Griffith was exhausted from dealing with her father's hearing loss. Doctors told she and her father that he needed a hearing aid, but they thought they couldn't afford it.
"I told my brother, 'That's what we are getting dad for Christmas...because I can't handle another embarrassing conversation in the hospital or the doctor's office when they're asking random questions and I have to yell for him to hear me ask those questions.'"
Griffith searched online for recommended hearing aids, and was able to buy a pair on Amazon for less than $200.
"He was just able to turn them on and use them," she said.
Dr. Kamal Elliot with A&E audiology says that's the exact purpose of the FDA approval: to provide easier and more affordable access for patients.
"The thing that's really great about the ruling is that the government, the FDA, wants to highlight the importance of hearing loss and treating hearing loss," she said.
A main problem is that the average time someone waits to treat their hearing loss is between 7 to 9 years, according to Dr. Elliot.
She says that many people think hearing aids make them look older. The problem with this, she says, is that hearing loss has long been known to increase your risk of other serious health problems, including dementia. When you ignore your hearing loss, it can sometimes lead to larger issues, she says.
Dr. Elliot does suggest having a hearing test done because purchasing an aid online.
"Don't self diagnose," she said.
Ashley had her father take a hearing test, and now he can hear his daughter again.
"He would never have gotten them because we couldn't have afforded them," she said.
If you would like more information on hearing loss symptoms, or more information on over-the-counter hearing aids, check out the video above.