If you have a loved one with hearing loss living in a nursing home, there are important ways you can provide effective support. Capacity to hear allows people to engage with others, participate in activities, and have fulfilling relationships. This is tied to happiness and quality of life which is important for older adults who also experience increased health risks. You can contribute to improved care and everyday wellness by supporting your loved one in the following ways:
- Support hearing loss treatment. Though hearing loss is the third most common medical condition people experience today, it is widely undertreated. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders:
- 1 in 3 adults, ages 65-74 have hearing loss
- 1 in 2 adults, ages 75 and older have disabling hearing loss.
But only one third of people who could benefit from treatment actually receive it. When
it comes to hearing loss, there is often inaction. This can be due to the stigma associated with the condition, misconceptions people have, or some might not even notice they are experiencing symptoms.
It is important to advocate for hearing loss treatment. You can do this by sharing the impact of untreated hearing loss, describing your experience of their symptoms, and highlighting how accessible and transformative hearing loss treatment is. You can even offer to have your own hearing health evaluated and/or attend their appointment with them.
- Help create routine with hearing aids. Hearing aids are the most common way hearing loss is treated. These are electronic devices that are designed to absorb and process speech as well as sound. Hearing aids alleviate symptoms and maximize hearing capacity in all environments. It is important to encourage regular use of hearing aids – they should be used during waking hours. Sometimes, people can forget to put their hearing aids in and this can really affect their daily experience.
In addition to encouraging daily use, another useful tip is to help establish a hearing aid
routine. This should involve regularly maintenance, identifying where to place the
device, developing a kit and:
- Labeling hearing aids to avoid misplacement.
- Getting a small case to put on the nightstand beside the bed for nighttime storage.
- Ensuring that your loved one is stocked on hearing aid supplies: batteries, soft cloths, and other supplies useful for cleaning the hearing aid.
Proper maintenance of hearing aids contributes to their longevity and optimal
performance over time.
- Establish communication with staff. Developing a relationship with nursing home staff is another great way to support your loved one. This allows you to openly share and discuss your loved one’s hearing needs and ways their care can be provided to best meet those needs. Also, learning about the services and other health care policies they provide can help you support them. Establishing regular communication also creates the space to discuss any challenges or changes your loved one is experiencing which may need more attention and are.
- Practice communications strategies. Even with hearing aids, communication can be challenging at times. There are several strategies you can practice with your loved one to see what supports their hearing the best. This includes:
- Grabbing their attention before speaking. You can do this by saying their name or tapping them on the shoulder.
- Maintaining visibility so they can access nonverabl cues like body language, facial expression, and lip reading.
- Rephrasing rather than repeating.
- Reduce background noise as much as possible.
- Not multitasking so that everyone can be focused and fully present.
- Speaking in your typical voice and taking natural pauses.
- Texting or emailing detailed information like addresses, instructions, reminders etc.
- Stay up to date with hearing needs. Hearing needs can change over time so it is important that your loved one has their hearing assessed regularly. Integrating a yearly hearing test in annual health check-ins is a great way to ensure that their hearing needs are still being met effectively. This allows a hearing healthcare specialist to check hearing aids and make sure the settings are still optimal or to make any adjustments that may better support hearing health.
Contact us to learn more about how you can best support your loved one with hearing loss in a nursing home. Your encouragement and support is invaluable!