By Justin Lees, Coastline CEO
At the national USAging conference this summer, I had a conversation that left me more hopeful than ever about the future of hearing support for older adults in our community.
I met Ishan Patel, the young CEO of Audien Hearing, a company that’s helping to reshape how hearing aids are sold in this country. He and his co-founders launched the company in 2019, not long after federal legislation created a new category of over-the-counter hearing aids for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Their goal is simple: make hearing support more affordable and easier to get.
Audien now sells hearing aids online, in Walmart, and, as of this summer, through Walgreens Pharmacy. Patel said about the expansion, “Launching in Walgreens is more than expanding our distribution, it’s about making hearing care easier to access for everyone.”
What impressed me most was how personal this mission is for them. Inspired by their grandparents’ struggles with hearing loss, the three co-founders saw a chance to create technology that could help others. Today, their devices start at under $100—a price point that could make a real difference for older adults in New Bedford who live on fixed incomes.
Of course, no single company has the full answer. Hearing loss is complicated, and many older adults remain hesitant to try hearing aids. Some are discouraged by past experiences with high costs, confusing sales, or the stigma of wearing a device.
They’re not alone. The number of older adults who don’t use hearing aids is higher than expected, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Their research shows that, among adults 70 and older who could benefit from hearing support, fewer than 1 in 3 has ever used them.
That’s a lot of missed opportunity, especially since research shows older adults who do use hearing aids often report quality-of-life scores nearly matching those with normal hearing. There are even studies suggesting that hearing aids can lower the odds of depression.
The good news is that hearing technology is becoming more accessible, with more styles, lower prices, and easier options than ever before. If you gave up on hearing aids in the past, it may be worth taking another look. Companies like Audien represent one pathway forward—a reminder that better hearing is not out of reach.
Justin Lees is CEO of Coastline, the aging services provider based in New Bedford.
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