Just as the ear trumpet once symbolized the elderly, so do contemporary approaches to hearing loss in the aged reflect many of the major themes in geriatrics and gerontology today. This paper begins by describing the National Institute on Aging (NIA) with particular emphasis on activities relevant to hearing in the elderly. Next, several areas of research interest, including the typology of presbycusis and related conditions, the epidemiology of auditory impairment in old age, the design of testing and research, and the rehabilitation of the hearing-impaired elderly, are addressed. The NIA and the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke (NINCDS) are coordinating their efforts to stimulate investigation of these and related topics.
