Province announces $12.6M grant program to help seniors buy hearing aids

Province announces $12.6M grant program to help seniors buy hearing aids

The province will soon begin to offer grants to certain older Manitobans with diagnosed hearing loss to offset the costs of hearing aids.

The $12.6 million grant program, announced Thursday at the Bronx Park Community Centre by Minister of Seniors and Long-term Care Scott Johnston, will start taking applications in the spring.

It will offer up to $2,000 to people who are 65 or older, have been prescribed hearing aids by an audiologist or otolaryngologist and who had a family income under $80,000 in the previous year.

Citing Manitoba Health statistics, Johnston said close to 4,000 people over 65 reported hearing loss during a doctor visit in 2021, and about 25 per cent of seniors have hearing loss that could benefit from hearing aids.

The grants are slated for the costs of testing, fitting and buying the devices.

“This grant aims to ensure that all seniors who require and want hearing aids have the financial means to access them… regardless of their income levels,” Johnston said.

The government announced the funding at the Good Neighbours Active Living Centre, a seniors centre within the community club.

The seniors centre’s executive director, Susan Sader, said hearing loss can lead to social isolation for seniors which, in turn, can lead to worsening health problems.

“For those that are hearing impaired, something as simple as a hearing aid can make all of the difference in quality of life. However, for many seniors, purchasing a hearing aid is not financially possible,” she said, applauding the new government grant.

She said she thinks the grant will allow people with hearing impairments to stay active and engaged in the community.

Jo-Anne Jones, the president of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association’s Manitoba chapter, said in addition to isolation, untreated hearing loss in seniors can lead to an increased risk of falls, depression and dementia.

“We receive a lot of phone calls and emails that are absolutely heartbreaking because there are seniors and their caregivers saying how much they needed a hearing aid and it was simply unaffordable for them,” said Jones.

“This is a big step forward for ensuring that many more Manitoba seniors will have the hearing aids they need.”

Johnston said because device costs vary, the grant will cover a different percentage of each patient’s prescribed aid.

“But the $2,000 grant for individuals with a household income of $80,000 which goes beyond low income, is quite substantial,” he said.

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