"Giving the Gift of Sound" Gyeongnam Province Supports 120 Hearing Aids for Low-Income Seniors

Donation Agreement with Yale ENT and Others, Practiced Annually

Applications Accepted from February 5 to March 22 in Eup, Myeon, and Dong Areas

"I usually had difficulty hearing in my left ear, making it hard to communicate with my family, but after receiving a donated hearing aid, communication has become much smoother."

Mr. A, who received a donated hearing aid from Gyeongnam Province around June last year, shared this experience.

According to Gyeongnam Province, Mr. A was able to hear the sounds of the world better through the donated hearing aid support project last year.

Mr. A said, "My hearing was poor, but I couldn't afford to buy a hearing aid due to the cost. Fortunately, I was able to receive a donated hearing aid, and since wearing it, communication has improved significantly, making family relationships much more harmonious."

He added, "I also felt regret, thinking it would have been better if I had applied for support even a day earlier."

Gyeongnam Provincial Government Office.
Photo by Lee Seryeong

Gyeongnam Province announced that, following last year, it will support 120 donated hearing aids this year as well to help low-income seniors like Mr. A and other socially vulnerable groups maintain a healthy life and to promote a culture of donation.

In 2022, Gyeongnam Province signed a tripartite business agreement with Masan Yale Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic in Changwon City and the Community Chest of Korea, agreeing to donate 120 hearing aids worth approximately 160 million KRW annually for four years starting in 2023.

The province plans to advance the application period for this year's support project compared to last year to extend the adaptation period for hearing aid users and minimize discomfort.

In December 2022, Park Wansu, Governor of Gyeongnam Province (center), Ma Yongun, Director of Yale ENT Clinic (left), and Kang Gicheol, Chairman of the Gyeongnam Community Chest of Korea, signed a business agreement to support hearing aids for low-income elderly.
[Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government]

According to the province, the eligibility for donated hearing aid support in 2024 includes low-income seniors with hearing loss who fall below 75% of the median income.

For a four-person household, the income limit is 4,297,435 KRW, and for a single elderly person, it is 1,671,334 KRW. Applicants must be 65 years or older at the time of application and have been diagnosed with hearing loss based on a pure-tone audiometry test.

Applicants qualify if the pure-tone audiometry test shows mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss of 41?59 dB in both ears, or sensorineural hearing loss of less than 80 dB in one ear and less than 60 dB in the other ear.

To prevent overlap with hearing aids supported by the National Health Insurance Service, individuals registered as hearing impaired or those who have already received hearing aids through other welfare programs are excluded.

The application period for donated hearing aids is from February 5 to March 22.

Eligible applicants must bring a hearing aid prescription issued by a local hospital or clinic to their resident center in their town or district and submit a completed application form.

The hearing aid prescription must have been issued within six months of the application date to be valid.

Once applications are complete, the province will select recipients by April and notify the respective cities/counties, Yale Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic, and the Community Chest of Korea.

Hearing aid fitting and follow-up care will be conducted over six months from April to September.

The province advised, "The earlier you apply for a donated hearing aid, the faster the selection and fitting process will be. Seniors who qualify are encouraged to inquire about the exact eligibility criteria at their nearest resident center or city/county office and apply as soon as possible."

Shin Jong-woo, Director of the Welfare Policy Bureau, said, "There are many vulnerable people around us who do not receive government support benefits. Since financial resources to meet welfare demands are inevitably limited, we hope more people will extend their hands in donation to help those in need."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.