An innovative program run by the University of Queensland is using a DIY approach to help older people with hearing loss improve their quality of life.
A team led by Dr Louise Hickson and Associate Professor Linda Worrall of UQ’s Communication Disability in Ageing Research Unit in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, is running a series of courses that helps older people devise their own solutions to their communication problems.
Participants’ partners and family members are also encouraged to take part in the five-week courses, which are led by a speech pathologist or audiologist.
The program is being funded by a three-year NHMRC grant, worth $250,000.
Dr Hickson said each group of up to 10 people with hearing impairments identified and prioritised the communication problems they wanted to work on.
“Communication is essential to our quality of life - and you only realise this when you lose it. Many older people with hearing loss feel very left out,” Dr Hickson said.
“So we analyse common communication issues, get to the source of the problem, generate solutions, and then try out the solutions.”
She said a common example that groups identified was improving communication in noise.
“We get the group to discuss their specific problems in noise, for example, what is the situation they are in, and what is the source of the difficulty?
“Possible answers might be a radio going in the background, the fact that the person they are trying to listen to is across the room, or the person not looking at them while speaking.”
The group then generates possible solutions and evaluates if these are possible for them.
“For example, it could involve turning the radio down or off, or working out how the speaker and listener can get closer together,” Dr Hickson said.
“They could also tell the person they had a hearing loss and ask them to lift their head when they talk to them.”
Dr Hickson said participants had to try out the solutions at home before the following week’s course.
“A solution is only successful if the older person agrees that it is and agrees to try it out in real life. Practice between each weekly session is vital,” she said.
“We don’t stand up and give lectures - that might increase knowledge, but it doesn’t change behaviour.”
Dr Hickson said participants’ partners were actively encouraged to attend the courses.
“Significant others are included in the program - communication is a two-way process and often they are a part of the solution,” she said.
Course facilitators also taught skills in lip-reading awareness, and suggested assistive devices that could help participants with hearing the television, radio, telephone and doorbell.
Dr Hickson said course results would be evaluated, with researchers following up with participants after six months to gauge the success of the solutions.
Six courses have already been held in retirement villages and community venues throughout Brisbane.
Contact details for course: Nerina Donaldson, telephone 3365 8547.
Media contact: Dr Louise Hickson, telephone 3365 3096.
