WSA and the Academy of Doctors of Audiology have joined forces to bring a national public awareness and PSA campaign to adults 50 and older, positioning local audiologists as the front door to hearing care.
WSA and the Academy of Doctors of Audiology (ADA) have announced a national partnership to launch and scale Listen Up, a public awareness and public service announcement (PSA) initiative designed to encourage adults 50 and older to make hearing screening a routine part of their healthcare program.
Led by ADA with support from WSA, the initiative calls on adults to get their hearing screened beginning at age 50, establish a baseline, and connect with a local audiologist when concerns arise. The nationwide expansion will begin in Texas, Florida, Colorado, and Illinois, bringing hearing health messaging into local communities through targeted PSAs, media outreach, social content, and consumer education.
A Market-by-Market Rollout Rooted in a State Pilot
Listen Up was first piloted in Kentucky in May 2026, in partnership with the Kentucky Academy of Audiology during Better Hearing Month. The pilot centered on prevention, early intervention, and expert hearing care through state-level messaging, local audiologist participation, and public education.
Following that pilot, WSA and ADA are expanding the program through a grassroots, market-by-market model designed for broadcast, digital, social, and local market activation. Each campaign will be tailored through collaboration among ADA, WSA, and local audiology associations where applicable.
Hearing Loss and Healthy Aging
The initiative comes amid growing awareness of the broader health implications of untreated hearing loss. The World Health Organization projects that nearly 2.5 billion people will have some degree of hearing loss by 2050, and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that hearing loss affects approximately 5% of US adults ages 45–54 and 10% of those ages 55–64.
The WHO has also linked unaddressed hearing loss to social isolation, loneliness, cognitive decline, and increased dementia risk, while the Lancet Commission has identified hearing impairment and social isolation among modifiable dementia risk factors.
“Turning 50 should be a reminder to pay attention to hearing health, just as adults do with other routine health screenings,” says Jill Davis, Au.D., ADA president, in a release. “Hearing affects communication, connection, health, safety, and quality of life. Through Listen Up, ADA and WSA are giving consumers a clear, practical next step to get screened, understand their hearing baseline, and work with a local audiologist who can guide their care.”
Elevating Audiologists as Hearing Care Partners
A core element of Listen Up is its emphasis on directing adults to local audiologists for screening, evaluation, counseling, and care — reinforcing the profession’s role in healthy aging. By pairing national PSA messaging with community-level activation, the initiative aims to lower barriers to entry and make the path to hearing care more accessible and actionable.
“WSA is deeply committed to strengthening the hearing care industry and supporting the local audiologists who serve as trusted partners in their communities,” says Mike O’Neil, WSA US wholesale president, in a release. “Our partnership with ADA and our investment in Listen Up reflect that commitment. By expanding outreach, encouraging more adults to prioritize their hearing health, and connecting them with expert care close to home, we are helping grow the industry while advancing the essential role of audiologists in healthy aging.”
For more information or to find local resources, visit audiologist.org/listenup.
