Globaldemographicchangesrelatedtolongevityareleadingtoincreasingnumbersoftheelderly,forwhomhearinglossisasignificantcauseofmorbidityanddisability.Oncemetwithreticence,severelyhearingimpairedolderadultsareincreasinglybeingconsideredforcochlearimplantation(CI).SignificantdataindicatethatCIintheelderlypopulationissafe,well-tolerated,andeffective.RisksfromCIsurgeryandanesthesiaarelowandgenerallycomparabletoratesinotheragegroups.OutcomesstudiesregardingCIinolderadultshaveshownexcellentimprovementstospeechperception,qualityoflife,andevencognition.Overall,currentlyavailabledatasuggeststhatadvancedageshouldnot,initself,beconsideredabarriertoimplantation.ThisreviewpaperwillhighlightselectedarticlesfromrecentmedicalliteratureregardingthesafetyandefficacyofCIintheelderlypopulation.
