Last Updated: August 13, 2026
A new study finds that hearing loss often goes unaddressed until later when a person’s independence is affected. The study highlights a missed opportunity for earlier intervention.
The research shows that two in five adults (40%) regret not addressing hearing issues sooner. These numbers suggest that delayed action is widespread and often only recognised in hindsight.
The news comes following the publication of Care England’s report, ‘Hearing loss in care homes – A call to action’. The report found that despite 80% of care home residents having hearing loss, oftentimes care staff are not trained in how to manage it. 28% of people who delayed or avoided seeking help for their hearing loss said that they assumed symptoms were ‘just ageing’.
The normalisation of hearing loss as one ages has major practical consequences, with research showing that people don’t often act when symptoms first appear. Instead, the strongest trigger for people to start seeking help is when their hearing problems begin to interfere with everyday life, by which point individuals may already be struggling with communication, confidence or participation.
For care teams, this reinforces the importance of spotting subtle changes early, before hearing loss begins to drive wider care needs.
Over a quarter (28%) said easy access was important, which suggests that practical barriers play a larger role than lack of awareness in people seeking help with their hearing loss. In contrast to this, awareness campaigns alone were unlikely to prompt action (6%).
The study also shows that there is strong public support for innovation that improves access. More than two-thirds (67%) said that they would welcome the use of AI in ear and hearing healthcare if it helped to reduce waiting times. This suggests that care providers should adopt technology to speed up assessments.
Dr.Krishan Ramdoo, ENT surgeon and founder and CEO of TympaHealth, said, ‘Hearing loss often develops gradually, which is why early symptoms are easy to dismiss or ignore. People may notice things like fullness in the ear, ringing after loud noise, dizziness or muffled hearing but put off getting checked.
‘Untreated hearing loss is linked to social withdrawal, mental health issues and cognitive decline.
‘It’s therefore crucial that care providers prioritise ear and hearing health care provision. Not only will this improve resident wellbeing, but also reduce time spent on escorting, coordination and appointment follow ups, allowing more focus on holistic, person-centred care’.
In other news, from March 1st 2026, the Disabled Persons Railcard eligibility criteria will be extended to include a broader range of visible and non-visible disabilities.
