WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government is providing seniors with grants of up to $2,000 to purchase hearing aids.
The $12.6 million grant program is for eligible older Manitobans experiencing hearing loss. The funding will cover testing, fitting and purchasing new hearing aids.
“We have received many heartbreaking emails and phone calls from seniors or their caregivers asking for help because they need hearing aids but could not afford them,” said Jo-anne Jones, president, Canadian Hard of Hearing Association Manitoba Chapter.
“This new grant is a great step in ensuring many more Manitoba seniors will have the hearing aids they need and better healthier lifestyles as a result.”
Eligibility criteria include:
- Age 65 or over
- Family income below $80,000 in the previous year
- Have documented hearing loss
- Have been prescribed hearing aids by an audiologist or otolaryngologist
According to Department of Health statistics, nearly 4,000 seniors over the age of 65 reported hearing loss during a physician visit in 2021 and roughly 25 percent of seniors have hearing loss at a level that would benefit from hearing aid use.
The Manitoba government will begin accepting applications later this spring.
