When we’re watching TV, my wife’s typically on my right. When I’m driving, she’s on my right. When we’re in bed, she’s on my right.
And I can hardly hear out my right ear.
I started losing hearing in that ear when I was about 50. The doc said it was likely nerve damage, maybe from football, maybe a car wreck, but I’m pretty sure it’s more likely Led Zeppelin and AC/DC.
Because it’s gradual, you don’t really notice hearing loss until it’s obvious. Then, when you (or, more likely, your spouse) notices it, you don’t want to admit you need hearing aids, because that’s literally a primary badge of getting old.
So you put it off.
Until one day you realize that you’re nodding along at dinner, pretending to catch the punchline, or hoping the expression on your face reflects what someone’s saying to you. You’re cranking the TV until your spouse winces, and you’re asking them what someone said at a party or while watching a movie.
You subconsciously begin dreading big groups and loud restaurants, because that’s going to require effort. It’s going to require acting. It’s going to be embarrassing.
Amusing sidebar: About the only time I’m not out of place are at spots I’m not wild about: loud bars, concerts and music festivals. Nobody can hear anything at those. But when I go to one, my Apple Watch invariably says, “Loud Environment: 10 minutes at this level can cause hearing loss.”
That’s rich. Where were you in 1975, Apple Watch?
While that may be funny, here’s what’s definitely not: This isn’t about hearing. It’s about losing touch. It’s about being lonely. When you can’t follow conversations, you may not do it on purpose, but you’ll gradually stop trying. You’ll drift to the edge of the table. You’ll be too embarrassed to say “what?” every two minutes, so you’ll cut yourself off from the people you love most — and they’re going to feel it too.
One of my favorite things is people. I love meeting them, talking to them and especially laughing with them. So I decided, likely later than I should have, to not go down without a fight.
And what I found genuinely surprised me: The options for dealing with hearing loss are better, cheaper, and easier than they were even three years ago.
How do you even know you’re losing it?
Age-related hearing loss is common. About 1 in 3 between 65 and 74 have it, and nearly half past 75 do.
So how do you spot it? The classic signs, per the Mayo Clinic: Speech starts sounding muffled, you’re constantly asking people to repeat themselves, you crank the TV, and noisy rooms become impossible. Ringing in the ears counts too.
There’s also the tell I missed for too long, because I didn’t consciously know I was doing it. You start dodging situations where hearing is hard. Dinners out. Group chats. Parties.
If you’re quietly opting out of your own social life, your ears may be the reason.
One warning: If your hearing drops suddenly, especially in one ear, don’t wait — see a doctor right away. That one can be a true emergency. (When I first went to an ear, nose and throat MD years ago, he later told me that he thought I might have a brain tumor.)
Another reason this is about more than your ears
Hearing loss is tied to some of the scariest stuff we face as we age. Start with your brain. Johns Hopkins researchers found that people with moderate to severe hearing loss had a 61% higher rate of dementia than those who heard normally.
And it compounds the longer you wait. Other Hopkins research found mild hearing loss doubled dementia risk, moderate loss tripled it, and severe loss made it five times more likely.
Now the hopeful flip side. A major three-year trial called ACHIEVE found that treating hearing loss with hearing aids slowed cognitive decline by 48% in older adults at higher risk. That’s nearly cutting it in half.
Then there’s the rest of your body. Your ears help you keep your balance, so hearing loss is linked to more stumbles and falls — no small thing for people my age.
Older adults with hearing loss battle depression at nearly double the rate of their peers. When you can’t hear, you pull back. You go quiet. You start disappearing from your own life.
Heard enough about the problem? Let’s talk about how to fix it, cheapest first.
1. Get an actual hearing test — lots of them are free
You can’t fix what you haven’t measured. Book a test with an audiologist, or use one of the free screenings at warehouse clubs and hearing-aid shops. Apple even has a five-minute test you can take with an iPhone or iPad and AirPods.
Get a baseline. Find out which ear, and how bad.
2. Try the $249 fix hiding in your pocket
In September 2024, the FDA cleared Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 to work as over-the-counter hearing aids for mild to moderate loss. At $249, they cost a fraction of what traditional aids run, and you take the hearing test right on your iPhone.
But if you look, you can find them cheaper. Here’s a refurbished pair on Amazon for $155.
I tried this fix, but it didn’t work for me for two reasons. First, I had trouble calibrating them. Also, I don’t want white plastic sticking out of my ears, especially for hours at a time.
Still, for a lot of folks, that’s the easiest starting point.
3. Buy over-the-counter hearing aids — no doctor required
Here’s a major change you may not have heard about. Since October 2022, the FDA has let adults buy hearing aids straight off the shelf — no prescription, no exam, no appointment. They’re built for mild to moderate loss, and a pair can run well under $1,000. Just know they’re not made for severe loss.
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4. Check the warehouse club
If you want more muscle than earbuds but don’t want clinic prices, Costco or other warehouse stores could be worth a look.
There are benefits of buying your hearing aids at Costco, and the savings are real — often hundreds or thousands less than a private clinic.
5. Go prescription when your loss is serious
Earbuds and over-the-counter devices have limits. If your hearing loss is severe, or one ear is far worse than the other — like mine — you’ll likely want prescription aids fitted and programmed by a professional. They aren’t cheap. They can run up to $7,000 a pair. I bought a pair a few years ago for around $3,000.
Expensive, but for the right person, they’re worth every dollar.
Money.com has a page devoted to hearing aid providers. You can check that out here.
Second amusing sidebar: About a year ago, I lost my right hearing aid at — wait for it — a techno festival in Orlando. The only place on the planet I didn’t need the damn thing. That screw-up cost more than the festival.
6. Don’t pay full price — hunt for coverage first
Before you buy anything expensive, find out who’ll help pay. Original Medicare, frustratingly, doesn’t cover hearing aids or the exams to fit them — but many Medicare Advantage plans do. Mine coughed up about $1,000, if memory serves.
The VA covers hearing aids for eligible veterans. And you can spend tax-free money from a health savings account or flexible spending account on them. A few phone calls can save you a bundle.
Bottom line: If you’re straining to hear your spouse, faking your way through dinner, answering questions that aren’t close to what was asked, or cranking the TV while everyone else gives you the side eye — don’t wait.
Get the test. Your brain, your balance, and the people who love you will all thank you.