Oklahoma Lions Hearing and Vision Recycling Program

Hough Hearing and Vision Assistance

The Oklahoma Lions have refocused the need to serve with the same compassion that Helen Keller had when she spoke to the Lions at the Lions International Convention in 1925. The partnership with the Oklahoma Lions Clubs and Hough Ear Institute is the “opportunity” to continue the work and influence of Helen Keller in providing a positive impact on the lives of people who are deaf and blind. Together, we are reaching more people, expanding opportunities, and improving the quality of life for people who are struggling to navigate through daily living.  Hearing aids can be a significant expense, especially medical-grade devices purchased through an audiologist. However, the price tag shouldn’t deter anyone from seeking professional hearing care if they need it. Hearing aids undoubtedly improve everyday quality of life for those who struggle to hear, and studies have shown that wearing them can even improve brain function for those with hearing loss.

The AVERAGE cost of hearing aids is $5,000. According to the Social Security Administration, the average benefit from Social Security for Seniors is $1,843.96 a month. Many of our seniors will simply go without using hearing aids due to the high cost. More than 48 million Americans, including two in three adults over 70, live with hearing loss. But untreated hearing loss doesn’t just lead to arguments over the volume of the TV set, it’s also been linked to a higher risk of depression, cognitive decline, dementia, falls, emergency room visits, hospital stays, and a 46.5% rise in health care costs. In the elderly population, 1 in 5 individuals have tinnitus. For every 1 in 10 patients, their tinnitus is elevated enough to interfere with daily life. 

Oklahoma state Medicaid programs do not offer assistance with vision and hearing problems to adults that are not in nursing facilities. Children are covered with exceptions. With adults, vision is only covered for diseases and injuries. This leaves aging adults with no ability to receive assistance for vision and hearing difficulties and no way to acquire corrective devices or lenses (Oklahoma.gov/content/mysoonercare). People with vision and hearing loss suffer a greater problem of isolation, which leads to even greater problems with mental health. Helen Keller knew this popular thought has often been overlooked, that the human sense of hearing represents the primary cognitive window into life itself. 

“Hearing loss can speed up cognitive decline in older adults, raising the risk for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Several theories may explain the link between hearing loss and cognitive decline.” (2024. Reid, Sheldon. “The Effects of Hearing Loss on Menta health”. www.helpguide.org).

Oklahoma Lions state office is Oklahoma’s main contact for 211 calls from people needing assistance with glasses. The Oklahoma Lions state office receives approximately 15 to 20 calls a day asking for assistance with vision or hearing issues. The office then refers them to a local Lions Club close to their location. Many clubs try to meet the vision assistance needs; however, many fall short because the need is so great. 

With the rise of telehealth and online shopping, there are many companies from which you can now buy a hearing aid online rather than by visiting an audiologist. However, valid concerns have been raised by hearing care professionals that these direct-to-consumer hearing products can potentially harm wearers. If not programmed correctly by a specialist, there is a risk that the sound will amplify too much and be too loud, further damaging the wearer’s hearing and ears. Without professional input, you’ll still run a higher risk of exacerbating hearing problems or simply not using your devices to the maximum benefit.

First and foremost, it’s essential to know that there is no such thing as over-the-counter hearing aids currently being sold in the United States. The FDA has not yet approved any over-the-counter hearing aids for sale, which means any hearing device you can simply buy in a store without input from a specialist is not a hearing aid- it’s a personal sound amplifier product (PSAP). A new study has shown hearing aids may boost longevity. People who regularly use hearing aids are also more likely to stave off isolation, remain more active or have reduced risk of falls, which could explain the increased longevity.

Hough Hearing Aid Program assists individuals with limited income in receiving high end, digital hearing aids at no charge. The program is a collaborative effort with audiologists across the State of Oklahoma will help low-income seniors to hear. HEI has partnered with Sertoma who will supply used hearing aids along with a 3-year warranty. They will ship the hearing aids to any audiologist willing to help the seniors. An application will need to be completed for each patient that will help to determine eligibility of low-income.

A diagnostic hearing test will be provided by an audiologist, a hearing aid fitting appointment and a customized hearing aid education will be provided at no charge to the patient for one calendar year. One of our audiologists will administer a hearing test and determine your degree of hearing loss. Low-income seniors who fall below or at the 200% Federal Poverty Level ($29,160 annually for 1 person per household or $39,400 for 2 per household.) An application process has been put in place to verify income for each individual participating in the Hough Senior Hearing Aid Program.