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Beyond hearing aid fitting: improving communication for older adults.
Louise Hickson1, Linda Worrall
1Communication Disability in Ageing Research Unit, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. l.hickson@uq.edu.au
International Journal of Audiology
|August 16, 2003
Summary
Communication education programs significantly improve hearing-impaired older adults' knowledge and actions to enhance communication skills. These programs offer valuable support beyond traditional hearing aid fitting.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Audiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Older adults with hearing impairment often experience persistent communication challenges, even after hearing aid fitting.
- Many individuals do not utilize prescribed hearing aids, necessitating alternative or supplementary interventions.
- Effective communication is crucial for the well-being and social engagement of older populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe and evaluate two group communication education programs for older adults with hearing impairment.
- To assess the impact of these programs on communication knowledge, strategies, and behavioral changes.
- To determine if these programs can supplement traditional hearing aid interventions.
Main Methods:
- The 'Keep on Talking' program involved health promotion and communication maintenance strategies for community-dwelling older adults (n=120 experimental, n=130 control).
- The 'Active Communication Education' program focused on developing problem-solving skills for everyday communication (preliminary assessment on n=14).
- Participants were assessed on knowledge, strategy use, and actions taken to improve communication skills, with a 1-year follow-up for the 'Keep on Talking' group.
Main Results:
- Experimental participants in 'Keep on Talking' showed significant improvements in knowledge of age-related communication changes and maintenance strategies.
- One year post-intervention, 45% of the 'Keep on Talking' experimental group took action to improve communication, versus 10% in the control group.
- Preliminary data from the 'Active Communication Education' program suggest positive outcomes in developing problem-solving strategies.
Conclusions:
- Group communication education programs are effective in enhancing the knowledge and practical communication skills of older adults with hearing impairment.
- These programs serve as a valuable adjunct or supplement to conventional hearing aid fitting, addressing a significant unmet need.
- Further research and implementation of such programs can improve the quality of life for older adults facing communication barriers.