HLAA Convention 2011 Special: Workshops - Sounds for Seniors

[Guest guest]

NVRC News - July 7, 2011

-------------

Sounds for Seniors: an Honest Look at Hearing Loss in the 55+ Community

By Bonnie O'Leary 7/7/11

I chose this workshop because I have spent so many years providing outreach

to the senior community here in Northern Virginia. Sheila of DeLand,

Florida, gave a very interesting program with a personal touch to it.

Ms. lost her hearing when she was a young adult, getting her first

hearing aid at the age of 27. At 47, she received her first cochlear

implant, and she got her second implant at the age of 55. Her career as a

school teacher was filled with struggles caused by her hearing loss, and she

talked about overcoming those challenges.

Ms. spent some time talking about her own family whom she feels

represents senior citizens in many ways. Her mother has been hard of

hearing all her life, but very active because she has worn hearing aids and

used assistive listening devices. She has been married to Ms. ' father

for 63 years, but he now has Parkinson's disease which causes him to speak

softly and makes it harder now for her mother to communicate with her

father. Both have a slight memory loss. One of Ms. ' aunts is 88,

and can still hear. Another aunt is 90 and has glaucoma as well as macular

degeneration. Just observing these and other aging family members, Ms.

sees a wide range of senior issues that impact socialization and

communication.

Seniors were categorized as " young-old " (ages 55-75) and " old-old " (ages

75+) as Ms. discussed successful aging. Successful aging depends on

how well seniors accept change and loss. These can include physical,

psychological, social, economic, and interpersonal. A lot will depend on

the senior's endurance and attitude as well as manual dexterity. An " old "

senior, for instance, can't go back to normal after bad sprains or broken

bones. Those sprains become the new normal, and they have to accept that

they need help, which is not easy for seniors who have been active and

independent throughout their lives. Adapting to hearing loss is also

difficult, especially when the senior has had a lot of other issues to

contend with, whether they be physical or emotional, such as grieving over

the death of friends. Sometimes, Ms. has found in her own family that

" one's perception of health is a greater influencing factor than one's

actual health. "

How aging impacts hearing

The accumulation of noise over the years eventually takes its toll in the

inner ear, causing age-related hearing loss. But there are other physical

changes happening at the same time. There is often more and harder wax that

accumulates and is increasingly difficult to remove. The ear canal narrows,

and the sensitivity of the hair cells changes, often producing a greater

sensitivity to noise. With these changes, there is a slowing of the

message-carrying ability of the ear which can produce changes in perception.

Cognitive changes include a shortened attention span as well as fatigue.

Quality of life

Staying connected is a huge party of successful aging, maintaining the

relationships that are important to seniors. Having something meaningful to

do, a purposeful activity, is also important, as well as have opportunities

for intellectual growth and learning. Recreation and entertainment are a

part of staying connected, and Ms. remarked how ironic it is to have

more time in retirement but also more limitations in our abilities to do

things. Finally, a senior's quality of life is also enhanced by spiritual

growth and as well as a sense of hope, of having some positive prospects.

Hearing loss can render all of these desired aspects of life very

challenging.

Factors affecting how a senior handles hearing loss

The temperament and personality of a senior will play a large part in

determining how well he or she handles hearing loss. Someone who is passive

and has never had a lot of self-confidence is likely to become more quickly

withdrawn than someone who is an assertive, or even aggressive, type of

individual. The perception of need is also important, accepting that it's

okay to get help, that hearing loss does not make him weak or " less than " .

But some seniors are content with their situations, their connections, and

therefore are in no hurry to get hearing aids or undertake any other

self-help types of activities to compensate for their hearing loss. It is

important for seniors to understand the impact that their hearing loss has

on others as well, on their families and friends who can feel very

frustrated when trying to communicate too. A senior's " knowledge base " is

another factor that contributes to how he or she will handle a hearing loss.

There is a lot of misinformation about hearing aids and cochlear implants

which could shape a senior's attitude towards getting help. An

understanding of options is important, and whether or not there are

resources within their communities.

Solutions

There are 4 A's to consider: Amplification, Advocacy, Assistive listening

devices, and Alternatives. Seniors need to know the sources for financial

assistance for hearing aids if they need it, and audiologists need to be

more vigilant and honest in the way they fit seniors for hearing aids.

Seniors should also be kept up to date on hearing resources available in

theatres and movies, how to use captioning on television, how to develop

better communication strategies with their families and friends.

If you would like to e-chat with Sheila about the impact of hearing

loss on seniors, you can reach her at Sheila_ci777@....

_____

C Copyright 2011 by Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of

Hearing Persons (NVRC), 3951 Pender Drive, Suite 130, Fairfax, VA 22030;

<blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::blocked::http://www.nvrc.org/>

www.nvrc.org; 703-352-9055 V, 703-352-9056 TTY, 703-352-9058 Fax. Items in

this newsletter are provided for information purposes only; NVRC does not

endorse products or services. You do not need permission to share this

information, but please be sure to credit NVRC.