Nursing Homes Have Special Issues with Untreated Hearing Loss

By Brad Dodson, Hearing News Network

Johns Hopkins Medical Center reports that untreated hearing loss can lead to dementia and other very serious medical conditions among seniors.  Since nursing homes have a very high concentration of seniors, nursing homes can be at special risk for leaving hearing loss as an untreated condition.

With awareness of the problems of untreated hearing loss blossoming within medical researchers and medical professionals, we can be virtually guaranteed that the lawyers and regulators will not be far behind.

“For nursing homes, untreated hearing loss is an especially important issue.” says Richard Uzuanis, Executive Director of the Americans for Better Hearing Foundation (ABHF).  “Studies confirm that nursing homes have the largest concentration of people with hearing loss in the country – it is reported that some 60 to 90% of people in nursing homes have a significant untreated hearing loss.”

Residents in nursing homes are, for the most part, totally dependent on the administration and staff to handle their health care needs.  Hearing health therapies are virtually non-existent in nursing homes.

If the nursing home does not address hearing loss, then the resident becomes at risk for the compounding health problems generated by untreated hearing loss as reported by Dr. Frank Lin of Johns Hopkins.

If the nursing home does not initiate a program in the facility, it is not like the residents can easily set up an appointment and travel to visit an audiologist or ENT.

Do nursing homes have an obligation to address hearing loss? Is it a family issue?  Is a resident issue?

Nursing homes definitely address other rehabilitation issues like physical therapy, speech therapy, swallowing therapy, vision and dental issues and more.  Is it simply a lack of understanding about hearing health?  Is it the high cost of hearing aids and the low reimbursement rates?  Why are many nursing homes seemingly ignoring hearing health issues and potentially putting themselves at risk?

It might be because many, if not most, nursing home residents are considered low income and on Medicaid.  Questions are raised as to who covers the high cost of hearing evaluations and hearing aids?  Reimbursement rates for hearing health care are very low from all types of insurance coverage if it exists at all.  The cost of hearing aids average $2,000 per ear.

It is rare for private Audiologists or ENTs to go into to nursing homes unless the home houses wealthy private pay patients.  Low income residents on Medicaid rarely have been getting any kind of hearing health services whether in a nursing home or not. 

Many nursing homes that try to provide hearing health care have been frustrated by the lack of available services.  It is especially difficult if their population is mostly on Medicaid.

The Americans for Better Hearing Foundation (ABHF) has been trying to change that situation in the greater Chicago area.  It may be the only program like it in the country.

ABHF is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides a mobile hearing health program for nursing homes.  They also have a by-appointment Clinic in Burr Ridge, IL.  Their hearing health program is currently active in some 70+ nursing homes in the greater Chicago area.

At no cost to the facilities, the ABHF Audiology teams go into the homes, screen residents for medical necessity, perform hearing evaluations for qualified residents, and provide the residents and the facility a baseline hearing measurement. 

As justified by the hearing evaluation, they dispense Medicaid covered hearing aids. Costs for the hearing evaluations are covered by Medicare/Medicaid.

In Illinois, Medicaid covers the cost of basic hearing aids.  For residents not covered by Medicaid, ABHF offers reduced cost hearing aids for residents who are self pay or have private insurance.  For more information call ABHF at 630.321-3555.

The program has been very successful in those homes where it is operating.  It is totally free to the homes.

When asked why they are not in every nursing home, Mr. Uzuanis responded, “Most administrators and nursing staff are simply not aware of the serious nature of untreated hearing loss and their emerging liability. Hearing loss is usually considered a harmless condition.”

“When we do have the opportunity to explain our program, its benefits to the residents and staff, and the fact that it can improve overall health of the residents and eliminates most of the risk of untreated hearing loss, we are usually asked to begin the program as soon as possible.”

“Getting in front of the decision makers has been the challenge.”