Take care of your hearing !
As you get older or in this generation of hearing blasted with headphones and the previous generation that went to too many live rock concerts your hearing will eventually deteriorate and at the point of needing hearing Aids you might as well give up mentalism while wearing a Hearing Aid in your ear or behind your ear.
After 10 years of loud rock and roll concerts it takes 5-15 years for the hearing loss to begin.
When you are wearing Hearing Aids it looks like you have a hidden assistant whispering things in your ear, even if that is not the case.
AND. . . even if that had NOTHING to do with the effect, it looks like you are getting info from somewhere.
With high-tech Blue-tooth everything these days, a hearing aid looks like a device that someone on a phone line, somewhere else is feeding you info.
So, if you are practicing mentalism or prediction effects or even going to divulge a chosen playing card, it LOOKS LIKE someone is helping you.
(Even if there is NOT anyone helping you.)
So, take care of your hearing, or . . . pretty much, you're going to have to give up mentalism and magic that crosses that border.
Kreskin even has audience members "Look into his ears" to make sure he is not wearing any electronic devices while performing.
Mentalism and Hearing Aids don't mix.

Been there, done that.
Now I am slowing learning "coin work", just for fun, that has NOTHING to do with predicting. . . . anything.
Oh well.

Interesting point.

Not sure how many spectators would notice, care or suspect anything, but an interesting, valid point nevertheless and possibly a good heads-up for me as a young guy with good hearing.

You might as well make the most of it, play the "totally-deaf" act ("my hearing aid is not working properly...can you repeat that card?") and all the while get the info from a secret assistant anyway

I understand that there are tiny hearing aids that fit well inside the ear canal and are virtually invisible.

Pardon? I'm hard of reading...

My father had two hearing aids and they were so small you wouldn't know they were there unless you were right up on him and looking directly into his ear; you'd kinda have to be looking for them to begin with in order to notice.

I've also wondered about this issue as I'm starting to go mostly-deaf just like my dad, so hearing aids are in my future.

Amongst my friends and family, there wouldn't be any worry about what they thought...they'd know I'm deef.

Would some sort of "disclaimer" be a worthwhile consideration, or is that over-thinking things?

I don't believe that this is really an issue, though I don't deny that it could be for a few. Many musicians are now using ear-sets instead of onstage monitors, so it's becoming more recognized as just part of the sound reinforcement. Plus, as Dr. Hoodwink and mastermindreader have pointed out, they are getting smaller and less noticeable. I'll probably end up wearing a hearing aid over the next year or so - (too many years next to the speaker bank in a rock band.) If someone makes an issue of it, only then would I address it. I believe in not drawing attention to something unless an audience member does.

Haha that's not good, I switched from magic to mentalism because my hands don't work so well, unfortunately my eyesight and hearing is deteriorating too, hmm maybe I can still manage escapology next

Mark