“Assistive listening devices are like binoculars for the ears,” audiologist Cynthia Compton-Conley is quoted as saying.
Judging by some online commentary, the newest Apple AirPods, with a hearing aid feature, are a game changer for some who struggle to hear.
In one video, Haben Girma, the famous U.S. disability advocate who was the first deafblind person to graduate from Harvard Law School, praises the new accessibility features of AirPods Pro 2.
"Some people are very early on in their hearing journey and may be wondering, do I have hearing loss? What do I do? How do I disclose?" Girma says in a TikTok video. "That can be an emotionally tricky place to be. Because the AirPods are so cool and so visually recognized all over the world, having these as hearing aids gives people the choice to control when and how they disclose.”
Apple introduced new hearing health tools with AirPods Pro 2 in the fall, including Hearing Protection, a Hearing Test feature, and a Hearing Aid feature, which the company says is "clinical grade."
Statistics Canada data from 2021 shows that 63% of men and 46% of women aged 40 to 79 had hearing loss that they're unaware of.
So, having an easily accessible test and affordable hearing help sounds great, right?
Maybe, but folks in B.C. won't be able to know for sure because while AirPods Pro 2 are available in lots of places in B.C., from Shoppers Drug Mart to Walmart and Costco, the hearing features aren't available in Canada yet.
Approved, sort of
Health Canada issued a medical device licence to Apple, meaning it is approved, but that doesn't mean consumers can purchase it.
The provinces still have to approve them.
“Receiving approval from Health Canada on our Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features on AirPods Pro 2 is an important step toward making these features available in Canada," Apple said in an emailed statement to The Squamish Chief.
"We are working with officials in Canada with the hope of making this experience available as soon as possible."
Currently, the company is navigating the local medical device guidelines in each region, which can be associated with different timelines and requirements.
There is currently no regulatory path to distribute these over-the-counter hearing health features in Canada due to provincial-level restrictions.
"We are working with individual provinces to get approval to distribute the over-the-counter Hearing Test and Hearing Aid features in Canada, addressing current restrictions, with the hope of making this experience available as soon as possible.”
Canadians are currently able to access hearing health support across devices, including Hearing Protection on AirPods Pro 2, Noise app notifications with Apple Watch, and Headphone Audio Level notifications with iPhone.
Asked about the approvals, the provincial Ministry of Health sent The Squamish Chief a statement in which they said that Health Canada has the authority and responsibility for authorizing health products, such as drugs and medical devices for sale in Canada, and is responsible for determining whether a prescription is required for sale of a product in the country.
“After Health Canada has authorized a product for sale in Canada and has determined whether the item requires a prescription for sale, provincial and territorial governments can further specify the conditions of sale of the item and/or decide whether items will be publicly funded or not,” the statement continued.
“The ministry is always considering new ways to improve its programs and the health outcomes for British Columbians.”
Expert assessment
Say the Apple hearing aid features were available in B.C., what do audiologists think about them?
Speech and Hearing BC (SHBC), a not-for-profit association which has more than 1,200 speech-language pathologists and audiologists as members, supports making hearing aids easier and cheaper to get but is worried about people skipping important tests by trained audiologists.
These tests help find the cause of hearing loss and check for other health problems, they note.
Without them, serious issues might be missed.
"While making hearing aids more accessible and affordable is beneficial, it is crucial to ensure proper diagnostic testing by trained audiologists," said Heather Ritchie, director of private practice audiology on the SHBC's Provincial Council, in an email to The Squamish Chief.
"Anyone with hearing-related concerns should still schedule an appointment with a registered audiologist for guidance. While the Apple AirPods Pro 2 can provide a basic screening, a comprehensive assessment is needed to identify underlying conditions related to hearing loss. For example, earwax buildup is a common cause of hearing loss that can be easily overlooked without a proper assessment. It is also important to note that [over-the-counter] hearing devices are not appropriate for everyone."
Ritchie added that public awareness around the topic can inspire more people to seek help from qualified professionals.
"This shift in public discourse could play a key role in enhancing communication and overall well-being," she said.
Katie Koebel, audiologist and senior manager with HearingLife Canada, which has an office in Squamish, echoed this sentiment.
"There's still a lot of denial. I think there's definitely some stigma," she said.
"There's still that perception that if you have a hearing loss, that means that you're old, and while it's definitely more common as we age to develop hearing loss, you can have hearing loss at any point in your life," she added.
"Apple coming out with a wearable device, [I] definitely see as a positive that it is normalizing treating your hearing loss and really being proactive in understanding where your hearing levels are, and taking a proactive approach to your hearing health care."
But there are disadvantages to the AirPods and other over-the-counter hearing assistance products that people need to be aware of, hearing experts say.
For one, their customization is really limited.
"Everyone really has their own hearing needs. So, a great hearing solution not only takes into consideration someone's hearing levels, but also their lifestyle and the sound processing needs that they have," Koebel said.
The nuances in people's hearing require a hearing professional, in other words.
Also, depending on how you use them, the AirPods Pro 2 get between 5.5 and seven hours of battery charge.
"Most people who have hearing loss, they need a solution that's going to last all day," Koebel said.
"You should be hearing well all of the time."
She also noted that while Apple has a lot of things it tries to do with its various products, hearing professionals are solely focused on helping people hear.
"We also believe that hearing care professionals are really best suited to provide end-to-end care and treatment for something that so greatly affects the lives of Canadians and their families."
Make hearing aids affordable?
The reason many folks are likely attracted to the idea of over-the-counter hearing aids is because they are cheaper, especially if people don’t have extended medical insurance through their jobs.
Koebel said in B.C. specifically, the Medical Services Plan doesn't offer any funding for hearing aids, though there are some limited alternative funding options available.
"You can talk to your audiologist or hearing instrument practitioner, who can advise you if you qualify for any of those programs," she said, adding that HearingLife has financing plans available, too, that people may not know about.
"Prescription devices ... can be difficult for many people to afford, and any help that governments can offer could go a long way to allowing more people with hearing loss access the treatment that they need," she added.
Asked about funding for hearing aids, the Ministry of Health spokesperson confirmed that hearing aids and hearing aid batteries are not currently covered by PharmaCare, the publicly funded program that helps B.C. residents pay for some medical needs.
“This is not a comment on the value of these items, but rather reflects PharmaCare's ability to cover them within the limits of available resources,” the spokesperson said.
In terms of other help available to fund hearing devices and care, the ministry noted these options:
- The Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction (SDPR) provides basic medical equipment and supplies, such as hearing aids, to eligible Income Assistance (IA) and Disability Assistance (DA) clients, including dependent children of IA/DA clients. The coverage for hearing instruments is up to $2,000 per aid.
- Those who cannot benefit from a hearing aid can apply for the alternate hearing assistance supplements ($100 per month).
- Eligible clients include Persons with Disabilities (PWD), Persons with Persistent Multiple Barriers (PPMB) and all dependent children of SDPR clients.
- SDPR’s Healthy Kids Program provides coverage for basic hearing assistance to children in low-income families, who are not in receipt of income assistance, disability assistance or hardship assistance. More information about the Healthy Kids program can be found online.
Bottom line
The bottom line is that hearing loss is a health issue that should not be ignored, all the experts say.
"It not only impacts your communication, but also the quality of your relationships and your overall quality of life," Koebel said.
"Studies have linked untreated hearing loss effects to avoidance and withdrawal from social situations, reduced alertness and increased risk to personal safety, fatigue, stress and depression, loneliness, reduced job performance and earning power and diminished psychological and overall health. ... More recently, hearing loss has been identified as a modifiable risk factor for dementia."
Many hearing professional offices, like HearingLife Canada's more than 350 clinics, offer free baseline hearing assessments for anyone over the age of 19.
"We really encourage you, if you've never had your hearing tested before or haven't had it tested recently, to contact one of our clinics and get a baseline hearing assessment so you can see where you are," Koebel said.
Hearing care
Bigger picture, Koebel noted that it is important to protect the hearing we do have.
One way is by wearing ear protection when loud noise is expected, like at a rock concert, for example.
"If it's very loud, even just one exposure can cause some permanent damage, Koebel said, adding that most often, people are going to be exposed to loud noise where, over time, it will slowly cause damage.
"If you've ever noticed when you've left a concert, and you have some ringing in your ears, that's a telltale sign that you've caused some damage. ...The more and more you're in those situations, the more damage is going to happen."
Typically, it's the accumulation of being exposed to loud noises for a long period of time that will lead to hearing loss, according to Koebel.
Remember to give your ears a break sometimes, she added.
"Say you're listening to your AirPods, and you're listening to music every hour. Give yourself a 10-minute break, just so that your ears have time to kind of rest in between. That really makes a big difference," she said.
