Hearing loss can significantly impact all parts of a senior’s life. Unfortunately, this is something many seniors face every day. Among other things, they are unable to enjoy entertainment the way they used to.
Many need a good pair of headphones to enhance the sound. However, most seniors and elderly people have never shopped for this kind of item.
It isn’t important that the headphones are flashy. But it is very important that they produce crystal clear, excellent sound. They should also be comfortable to wear and lightweight.
Here are some suggestions and options that meet my requirements. So, what are the best lightweight headphones for elderly? Read on to find out!
Best Lightweight Headphones for Seniors
Here are my recommended headphones for elders. Keep scrolling to learn more about these models and to read detailed reviews too!
The best thing about these headphones is that they customize themselves to give you the best hearing experience possible – even for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Plus, they are comfortable and lightweight which makes them easy to wear for hours and hours. Easily adapted for use with TV, Bluetooth devices, computers, and more.
These headphones come in at about 1/2 pound and are some of my favorite headphones for seniors overall. The main reason I like them so much? They customize themselves based on your own unique hearing profile to improve how you hear sound.
To create your personal profile, you take a quick hearing test via an app that can be downloaded onto a phone or tablet.
The app plays a tone and you indicate how well you hear the tone using an on-screen dial. The app will then fine tune the Aria Me’s so that they make up for any deficits.
This makes them a great headphone choice for seniors with mild to moderate hearing loss.
In addition to the custom profile, they are also extremely comfortable to wear because of the soft ear cups and the overall lightweight feel.
You see, the team at Avantronics sent me a pair to use for myself. I used them for more than 7 hours while doing yard and garden work. I was a bit amazed at how well they stayed in place and how easy it was to forget they were even on.
Because these headphones are Bluetooth enabled, they can be used with many cell phones, tablets, MP3 players, and computers. You can even use them as TV listening headphones if you have a Bluetooth-enabled TV.
If you don’t, Avantree offers several Bluetooth transmitters that plug right into the TV.
Edifier H840 Audiophile Over-The-Ear Headphones
The next pair are headphones which, besides being lightweight, produce amazing sound quality. These are over-the-ear headphones that are ergonomically made to cover your ear perfectly. Like a pair of earmuffs, they are made from soft leather for longer use. The headband is also adjustable, so they always sit on your head the right way without being too tight.
The next pair are headphones which, besides being lightweight, produce amazing sound quality. These are over-the-ear headphones that are ergonomically made to cover your ear perfectly. Like a pair of earmuffs, they are made from soft leather for longer use. The headband is also adjustable, so they always sit on your head the right way without being too tight.
When it comes to weight, these are 13.1 ounces. But, compared to the previous one, these have much better build quality and are more sturdy. Edifier even provides a 1-year warranty for every purchase made in the US or Canada. They are praised for providing lifelike sound quality, which means they can be of great use when listening to audio books, for example.
This pair has many satisfied customers. People say they are perfect for what they are supposed to do – listening to music. No extra features, just a great sound through the noise cancelling feature. You can listen to music wearing them all day long. The wire is nice and long, letting you move while wearing them. They also fold for easy storage which is a nice plus.
Pros:
- Absolutely best price/quality ratio
- Sound it produces is comparable to much more expensive sets
- Great for hours of casual listening
Cons:
- Some people have complained that the ear muffs were too small in a sense that their ears weren’t fully covered
Bose Quiet Comfort 45 Wireless Headphones II (Over-Ear)
Bose QuietComfort 45 Wireless Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones, Over-Ear Headphones with...
Pros:
- Best noise cancellation on this list, and among best in general
- Really comfy
- Good durability
Cons:
- They are somewhat expensive, so if you don’t require the absolute best in the features they offer, it’s better to select another pair
The Bose QuietComfort are exceptional noise cancelling headphones for seniors from a company we have all heard of. These are a little more high-end compared to others on this list.
But, I wanted to include them since they are known to be among the best when it comes to active noise canceling and comfort.
They have a mic included so you can use them for phone calls too and use Bluetooth to connect to your favorite device (the video above shows you how). These lightweight headphones are just 6.9 ounces and very comfortable.
These lightweight headphones are specially designed to cut outside noise. You can be certain that your music or book won’t be interrupted by a passing car or loud neighbors.
The ear cups fit very well and are comfortable at the same time. You can wear the headphones with glasses without any problems.
The sound is true to life, helping you notice subtle details you didn’t even know were there. Special effort was put into making the voices as clear as possible. The headphones use a single AAA battery which has a very long life, over 30 hours.
Customers are very satisfied with this pair, saying it produces some of the best sounds they have ever heard. In addition, they are really light, and the case that comes with them is tough so they don’t get damaged while not in use. The case also looks very nice.
bopmen Over Ear Headphones
This is another pair of wireless Bluetooth headphones for elderly that is a bit cheaper than the Bose option. They use a Bluetooth connection which is very stable and has less lag than other wireless connections. The 33 ft range is also more than enough for most people. The headphones have controls right on them, like volume control and answer/end call key. The earpieces are soft and padded with leather. The headband is also padded with soft materials for increased comfort. This pair weighs only 8.2 ounces.
The battery lasts for up to 18 hours of playback time, or 20 days in standby mode. The battery charges fully in about 2 hours. They even come with a nice box for storing and transporting the headphones safely.
Users say that the leather is really high quality which increases the comfort significantly. The headphones have a luxury feel to them. They are very durable, the sound quality is superb, and the battery life is very good. It’s for sure one of the best Bluetooth headsets for the elderly.
Pros:
- Lightweight yet wireless
- Built from excellent materials to give you a high-end feeling
Cons:
- A few people have complained about the Bluetooth connectivity, but the cause of that might be in their mobile devices since the majority of people experienced no problems whatsoever
Pros:
- Very high quality sound
- The sound does not leak too badly out the side if they are on your head
- The leather covering is easy on the skin
Cons:
- Some people noticed that the cable is too long and gets in the way sometimes
These are another wired over-the ear headphones by a popular manufacturer of sound devices.
Their goal with these was to provide the great sound quality they are known for – at a more affordable price. And I think they succeeded. This pair of headphones has a rich, crystal clear stereo sound.
These lightweight headphones are designed specifically for long listening sessions, weighing just 5.8 ounces. However, they are sturdy so you don’t have to worry that they may break easily.
The earmuffs are made from a good quality leather and fit snuggly to block outside noise. The ear pads are even hypoallergenic! The cable is long enough to allow lots of movement – some think it may even be too long.
Customers are very happy with this product. It is a go-to pair of affordable headphones for many of them. They are super light and comfy, and many use them every day at work. The sound is clean and rich in tone which I’m certain all elderly listeners will appreciate.
Philips SBCHL140/10 Ultra Lightweight On-Ear Cabled Headphones
Pros:
- The most lightweight pair on the list
- Price is good if you are looking for a basic model
Cons:
- No noise cancellation
- Perhaps too fragile
These are the absolutely lightest headphones on my list. They are advertised as ultra light, weighing just over 2 ounces. This is a pair of on-ear headphones meaning they cover just a part of your ear.
They are nicely padded with a stainless steel headband that is comfortable and adjustable. Yet they are so light you might forget you’re wearing them!
The cable connections are durable and reinforced. There is a soft plastic part on the ear shell which reduces strain on the cord. This protects the connection and increases the durability of the headphones.
These headphones feature a solid speaker which is perfect in size for most people and provides crisp and powerful sound. The air vents are specially designed to allow air movement which produces better quality sound.
This is a good option if you want a cheaper pair of comfortable headphones for everyday use. But, they aren’t quite as good as some models I am going to discuss later on.
People who are using this pair praise the lightness, saying they can’t even feel them on their head most of the time. Some even fall asleep while wearing them – and don’t have sore ears afterwards! They don’t fit too tight so they are great to wear with glasses.
Features to Look For in Headphones for Older Adults
When shopping for headphones for older adults, here are some features you should consider:
- The best headphones for seniors are lightweight, like I discussed earlier. This allows them to be worn for longer periods of time.
- I also recommend that it is best to keep things simple, especially if the user is a senior citizen who doesn’t use a lot of technology. Because many of these headphones don’t have all the high tech features, they tend to be lower in cost.
- Choose a durable and reliable product they can use for a long time that can take a little abuse.
- If the headphones are foldable and portable it makes them even more practical since you can take them and use them wherever they go.
Why Do Seniors Need Special Headphones?
As I said, most conventional headphones are not well suited for seniors. They need something that is comfortable to use several hours at a time with clear sound. Seniors have trouble with mid-level tones, so the headphones should not have excessive bass for example.
Seniors often use headphones for listening to TV and audio books, not just music, so the importance of a clear voice reproduction is obvious.
Many elderly people complain that ear buds are not comfortable for them and prefer to avoid them. That is the reason the headphones I recommended are on-ear or over-ear since they provide a more natural feel.
Why does the weight matter? A heavy pair of headphones can cause all sorts of discomfort, especially for seniors. Your ears will feel sore after using them and, with time, they can even cause neck problems. This will cause you to re-adjust them frequently if they are uncomfortable.
On-ear headphones usually work better with hearing aids since they don’t press on them or interfere with their work. Over the ear headphones may interfere with some hearing aids because they completely cover the ear.
Furthermore, a combination of a hearing aid and good headphones can make a huge difference.
Hearing aids are constructed to amplify every sound, and with a good pair of noise-canceling headphones, you can hear your music really well while cutting out all the unnecessary noise that surrounds you.
Summary & Final Recommendations
Trouble with hearing doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy music, TV, and movies the way you like. The lightweight headphones reviewed in this article can help you a little with your hearing loss, so you can rediscover the joy of music again.
All things considered, I would go with the Aria Me Headphones from Avantree. It seems this pair of headphones provides the best balance between good sound quality and price.
They are very comfortable and easily adjusted so you can wear them every day without discomfort.
Do you have a pair of headphones that you recommend for seniors? Or, any other tips to improve music volume for the elderly? Tell me about it in the comments below! Also, I’d really appreciate a social share if you found this article helpful.
Hi
I I know it’s not on the list but I use the new version of Bose QuietComfort 35 I think they are called. They might be expensive, but they are very comfortable to use and have great noise cancellation if you live in a noisy area.
Any way great list.
Best regards,
The Sennheiser 201’s are surprisingly good considering the price… I can hardly tell the difference between them and my $200 headphones.