Helping a Loved One with Hearing Loss in a Nursing Home
Older Americans and Hearing Loss
Roughly 30% of older Americans between age 65 and 74 suffer from hearing loss, while 50% of people age 75 and older experience some degree of hearing loss. Hearing loss is commonly treated with hearing aids, which drastically improves overall health and quality of life for older Americans. However, for the older Americans who live in nursing homes, using hearing aids may prove to be the biggest hurdle.
While one may think that a loved one has been provided with the necessary means to improve their hearing, the problem can often persist or become worse when they are not living at home. There are a variety of reasons for this, such as forgetting to turn the device on, a device that fits poorly, a device that is painful to wear, a device that doesn’t work properly or finding themselves in a situation where no one is available to help them install the hearing aid. When one or more of these difficulties persist, the hearing aid is often discarded, and the problem persists often undetected by family and friends.
The Importance of Hearing Aid Use
Being able to hear is important for everyone. Often, people who are hard of hearing experience stress and anxiety. Research has shown they are more likely to have an accident than those who do not experience hearing problems. The body’s auditory system is connected to its sense of balance, and when hearing problems persist, the subsequent loss of sound means those who are hard of hearing are at a greater risk of having an accident than those who aren’t.
This can place tremendous strain on old people with hearing problems, leaving them feeling stressed, insecure and vulnerable. Ensuring that your loved one is equipped with a comfortable hearing aid that fits correctly, tailor made to suit their needs, is crucial to their health and well-being.
How to Ensure Your Loved One Is Using Their Hearing Aids
A number of measures may be taken to ensure your loved ones in nursing homes are using their hearing aid on an ongoing basis.
Developing a good working relationship with the staff at the nursing home means they can inform you if your loved one has been using the hearing aid, or if he/she has any difficulty with it. This also gives you a chance to familiarize yourself with the policies at the home in relation to hearing aids, services and other facilities.
Hearing aids can be easily lost or misplaced. Labeling the device in a bright color so it is easily spotted, and providing a small sturdy plastic case for storage can minimize the chances of the aid being lost or misplaced.
Getting into the routine of leaving the case on the bedside locker can initiate the habit of waking up and putting it in every morning. Maintain the hearing aid regularly to avoid damage, and discuss with your loved one the practicality of using an attachment so the hearing aid will clip to a cord and then to the wearers clothing. This can prevent dropping, loosing or damaging the hearing aid.
It is also important to make sure that the hearing aid functions properly and is treating the level of hearing loss your loved one experiences. Check in with your loved one to make sure the hearing aid is working for them, and schedule a check-up with us at My Hearing Centers to maintain ongoing healthy hearing!
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