Is Hearing Aid only for the Privileged?

Would anyone care to disagree?

Of course you would if you are from countries who have really good hearing services such as Australia whose citizens get hearing aids for free (seriously, lucky Australians).

I've seen or heard stories of patients who really struggled to buy just one hearing aid due to financial constraint. And then I've heard one case where the person lost his RM13,000 (or something around that amount) hearing aid, and bought another one of about the same amount. Imagine that. That particular amount of money in combination could have bought 14 digital hearing aids for different people!

And sometimes, the people with the money don't even want to spend on improving communication. As my fellow Audiologist, PM quoted (something similar to this line), "I would spend thousands of money so that I can travel overseas and show off to other people of places I've been, but I would not spend the same amount of money on hearing aids, something that could have improved my parent(s) ability to communicate better".

If only people realize how much a person needs hearing aid like a person needs his/her glasses.

Awareness and exposure, dear people. We need to do more of it!