Taiwan's elderly face hearing loss crisis, with 450,000 potentially affected

Taiwan is grappling with a significant and escalating hearing loss crisis among its rapidly aging population. Official statistics from the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Social and Family Affairs Administration show a nearly 17% increase in hearing impairment among those aged 65 and above, rising from 91,160 in 2021 to an estimated 106,643 by the third quarter of 2025.

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the number of elderly individuals with hearing impairments has risen by 17% in the last five years, from 91,160 in 2021 to 106,643 by the third quarter of 2025.

However, these figures may only represent a fraction of the problem. Audiologists estimate that as many as 450,000 elderly Taiwanese could be experiencing hearing loss. A critical issue is the discrepancy between Taiwan's current criteria for classifying hearing impairment for disability certification and the World Health Organization's guidelines. The WHO considers a hearing loss of 35 decibels (dB) in individuals over 65 as significant, while Taiwan's standard requires a more severe loss, around 50-55 dB, for official recognition.

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World Health Organization recommends a hearing loss of 35 decibels for individuals over 65, but Taiwan's current standard requires a more severe loss of around 50-55 decibels for official recognition.

This disparity means many individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss, estimated to be around 300,000 people, do not meet the threshold for official disability status. Furthermore, even among those diagnosed and eligible for assistance, a significant barrier remains: reluctance to seek treatment. Dr. Li Po-hung, Director of the Audiology Department at Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, notes that many seniors resist wearing hearing aids or undergoing treatment due to cost, denial of the problem's severity, or a desire to avoid appearing "old."

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many seniors resist wearing hearing aids or undergoing treatment due to cost, denial of the problem's severity, or a desire to avoid appearing 'old.'

This subjective resistance is a major hurdle, as even full subsidies for hearing aids in places like the UK have shown a significant delay, up to seven years, between diagnosis and actual use. Dr. Yeh Wen-ying, Chairperson of the Taiwan Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, suggests that raising public awareness about the link between hearing loss and increased dementia risk might motivate more individuals to seek timely intervention. The debate continues on whether to adjust diagnostic standards and increase subsidies, balancing public health goals with practical implementation.

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even in areas with full subsidies for hearing aids, patients often delay use for up to seven years after diagnosis.