Hearing aids for nursing home residents: Current policy and future needs

Hearing aids are crucial for people with hearing loss, especially dementia patients in nursing homes. However, the actual use of hearing aids in this population is very low. A major barrier to use is the cost. This paper examines the issue in terms of current financial coverage available through fed...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health policy (Amsterdam) 2006-11, Vol.79 (1), p.49-56
Main Authors: Cohen-Mansfield, Jiska, Infeld, Donna Lind
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Care of the aged
Deafness
Dementia - complications
Financial aspects
Forecasting
Health
Health administration
Health Care Costs - legislation & jurisprudence
Health Care Costs - statistics & numerical data
Health Care Costs - trends
Health Planning - organization & administration
Health Policy - economics
Health Policy - legislation & jurisprudence
Health Policy - trends
Health Services Accessibility - organization & administration
Health Services Needs and Demand - organization & administration
Health technology assessment
Hearing
Hearing aid
Hearing aids
Hearing Aids - economics
Hearing Aids - trends
Hearing Aids - utilization
Hearing Disorders - etiology
Hearing Disorders - therapy
Hearing impaired
Hearing impairment
Hearing Tests
Humans
Insurance Coverage - organization & administration
Insurance, Health, Reimbursement - economics
Insurance, Health, Reimbursement - legislation & jurisprudence
Medicaid - organization & administration
Nursing Homes
Old age
Persons With Hearing Impairments - legislation & jurisprudence
Persons With Hearing Impairments - rehabilitation
Research Support as Topic - organization & administration
Technology
United States
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Summary:Hearing aids are crucial for people with hearing loss, especially dementia patients in nursing homes. However, the actual use of hearing aids in this population is very low. A major barrier to use is the cost. This paper examines the issue in terms of current financial coverage available through federal and state systems as well as private insurance. We discuss the applicability of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other federal laws to this problem. There is a need for future policy development to improve both the quality of hearing aids and the financial mechanisms that will allow nursing home residents to use them. Plans to move the policy agenda forward are suggested.
ISSN:0168-8510
1872-6054
DOI:10.1016/j.healthpol.2005.11.016