Helping Seniors with Hearing Loss

Scope of Hearing Loss

Over one third of people over age 60 have some level of hearing impairment that diminishes quality of life, and this prevalence increases to almost 90% by the time people reach their 80s. Despite the serious impact of hearing loss on communication, health and relationships, most adults postpone getting help for hearing loss for 5-15 years.

Impact of Hearing Loss

Untreated hearing loss can lead to loneliness, anxiety, anger, embarrassment and even suspicion. Hearing loss has been linked to dementia, in part because of diminished cognitive input. Moreover, family relationships, participation in activities, and effective communication with one’s health care providers are negatively affected by poor hearing.

Insurance

Hearing aids, which range in cost from $1,000 to $4,000, are considered “elective” expenses by most insurance companies. Although 20 states require that health insurance covers hearing aids, this coverage is primarily for children. Medicare may reimburse some hearing-related professional services, but it does not cover hearing aids.

Stigma

In a study examining seniors’ self-perceptions changes and the use of hearing aids, participants used terms like ” decrepit,” “handicapped,” “defective,” and “impaired” to describe how they felt about themselves in relation to their hearing loss. In addition, these self-stereotypes negatively affected the study subjects’ willingness to seek assessment and treatment for hearing loss.

Medical professionals may inadvertently contribute to ageist beliefs about hearing loss and treatment. For example, a primary care physician is probably more likely to recommend a hearing aid assessment to a 30 year-old patient with hearing problems than a 70 year-old with hearing problems, since hearing loss is frequently considered “just aging” in older people.

How Can I Help?

1. Talk Openly About Hearing

Talking about hearing loss is a sensitive subject for many people, and families and professional caregivers may shy away from the topic, especially if they have been met with repeated resistance. However, it is essential for people to talk about hearing loss in an open and nonjudgmental way.

Questions such as, “Can you hear me better if I stand here?” convey that you are aware of the hearing loss and want to help without seeming critical.

Exposure to friends, family members, or celebrities with hearing loss–such as Jodie Foster, Bill Clinton or William Shatner—can also help to challenge feelings of stigma in many seniors.

2. Assist with Hearing Aids

Caregivers can promote the use of hearing devices by helping to find them when misplaced, by helping to put them on/in the ear and by safely storing them when not in use. Hearing aid batteries are very small and may be hard to find or change. Any help that you provide sends the message that hearing aid are important and accepted.

3. Practice Helpful Communication

It may take several adjustments before a person’s hearing aid works optimally, and even then it may not function with 100% effectiveness. Caregivers can augment the performance of hearing devices with good communication practices. Stand close to the person when speaking, slow down, face the person, and not chew or mumble while speaking. Analog hearing aids pick up all sounds, not just voices, so turning down TVs and other noisy appliances may improve comprehension.

Mayberry Gardens provides exceptional care for our senior residents. If you have questions about hearing loss or other senior care issues, please contact us.