On the subject of being deaf. My wife received a reminder her reading glasses prescription was "old" along with a flyer for audio testing. Her optical prescription hadn't varied but the free audio test revealed a hearing defect which she was advised required a hearing aid costing a couple of thousand pounds. Fortunately she didn't immediately agree to go forward but came home to discuss it. I suggested she ask our GP which resulted in a brief check test at the local surgery. This was followed up with a detailed test at the hospital and she now has exactly the same model of hearing aid the "free" test suggested by the optical company for zero cost plus free service and batteries for life.
The NHS certainly looks after our family in our advancing years.