Spring 2015

Programs inspire healthy change
Pages 4 & 5
Your Link To Community Resources
Vol.17, No.1 A Publication of The Area Agency on Aging 1-B Spring 2015
Serving the counties of Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St.Clair and Washtenaw
Get the most out of your Medicare experience
Innovative research and technology targets hearing aid issues
According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDOCD), the third most common chronic health condition facing older adults in America is hearing loss. It affects approximately one third of Americans between ages 65 and 74 and nearly half of those over age 75.Without treatment, hearing loss can lead to anxiety, depression, fatigue, frustration, and social isolation. However, only 30% of adults age 70+ with hearing loss have ever used a hearing aid, even though the device would be beneficial.
Amber Mardis of the AAA 1-B’s Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program counsels Vickie Hodnett months before Hodnett is eligible for Medicare. “Meeting with Amber eased my mind,” said Hodnett.
So what is it about hearing aids that turn people off? Research published in The Hearing Journal in February of 2000 displayed results of
a MarkeTrak V survey of 2,720 hearing aid owners who were questioned about their experiences in using their device. Listed below are the top reasons why respondents weren’t wearing their hearing aid, along with the latest high tech solutions on the market, aimed at solving these issues.
The number one problem: Negligible benefit from wearing hearing aids
Some respondents indicated that they couldn’t distinguish words, while others couldn’t hear high-pitched sounds. While these are common complaints, solutions are available. With 77 million baby boomers now age 50+, new research and high tech advancements are rapidly progressing to meet the demand.
Promising research from Massachusetts Eye and Ear, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital, could hold the key to reversing hearing loss. Researchers there have experienced success regenerating auditory hair
cells by applying a certain drug to mice ear stem cells and then affixing these new cells to the inner ear, or more specifically, the cochlea in deaf mice. The lab animals were found to have partial hearing recovery. This process has not yet been tested on humans, but scientists are hopeful that a complete reversal is possible in mice and then ultimately in humans. This would be the best news...no hearing aids!
The number two problem: Background noise
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a Hybrid Cochlear implant last March aimed at sensorineural hearing loss, the most common form. This occurs when the cochlea is damaged due to loud noise, illness, hereditary factors, or the aging process. The device is surgically implanted in people who can hear low-range sounds but have trouble hearing high-pitched sounds. This implant blends the functions of a cochlear implant with a hearing aid
as it broadcasts sounds to electrodes implanted in the area of the cochlea
continued on page 7
This April, Oakland County resident Vickie Hodnett will turn 65. She’s looking forward to being able to take advantage of Medicare for the first time. “This is a major step,” she said. “When I started working after college I never imagined this point would come.”
Hodnett plans to continue working and will retain her employer’s health insurance and prescription drug coverage. She worked enough quarters to earn Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) which amounts to 40 quarters or ten years. She’ll enroll in Part B (medical
insurance) and D (prescription drug insurance) when she retires.
Start your Medicare journey with a guide
“I’m digging a lot to learn about what I may need in the future because after retirement I’ll be solely responsible. It won’t be my employer or a spouse so I need to make sure that I’ve covered all my bases,” Hodnett said. She turned to the Area Agency on Aging 1-B and Amber Mardis, Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) Site Coordinator, for guidance last fall. Hodnett said, “I feel a lot better because at least I have someone who knows Medicare and can guide me
continued on page 7
Inside This Issue
Oakland County Senior News ..........2 Ask the Expert ................................3
Local Wellness Programs
Inspire Positive Change ............4 & 5
Macomb County Senior News ..........6
National Model to Help LGBT
Older Adults ....................................8
Area Agency on Aging 1-B
29100 Northwestern Hwy., Suite 400 Southfield, MI 48034
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