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Abstract
Hearing loss is the most common form of human sensory deficit with its prevalence highest within the geriatric population. Approximately a third of adults aged from 61 years exhibit the characteristics of presbycusis, a number one contributor to communication disorders among the elderly, thereby affecting the social, functional and psychological wellbeing of the elderly. Subsiquently, this leads to loneliness, isolation, dependence and frustration. To explore reasons why elderly people diagnosed with presbycusis and fitted with hearing aids stop using hearing aids post fitting. A qualitative research design was adopted. Through purposive sampling, ten participants consisting of three males and seven females, aged between 74 and 85 participated in face-to-face and semi-structured interviews. The following themes emerged: discomfort, lack of information about hearing aids, difficulty with function and maintenance and the lack of patient involvement in the hearing aid selection process. There are different reasons for disuse of hearing aids in elderly patients. Audiologists should ensure that hearing aids selection is patient specific and inclusive. Expectations of the elderly regarding hearing aids benefits and limitations should also be addressed by audiologists before fitting hearing aids.
Highlights
Being able to communicate is a foundation of healthy ageing as communication allows people to remain cognitively and socially engaged with families, friends and other individuals in the society[1]
To ensure that elderly people, who can benefit from using hearing aids, receive the best ear care, comfort should be a standard consideration as discomfort can negatively influence the decision to use hearing aids thereby impoverishing the quality of life of elderly people[16,17]
The findings of this study highlighted a wide range of reasons why some elderly people diagnosed with presbycusis and subsequently fitted with hearing aids stop using their hearing aids
Summary
Being able to communicate is a foundation of healthy ageing as communication allows people to remain cognitively and socially engaged with families, friends and other individuals in the society[1]. Presbycusis, refers to hearing loss associated with cochlear degenerative process of ageing[5]. African Health Sciences Vol 19 Issue 2, June, 2019 and is a number one contributor to communication disorder among the elderly.[9] It affects social, functional and psychological wellbeing, subsequently leading to loneliness, isolation, dependence and frustration[5]. A third of adults aged from 61 years exhibit the characteristics of presbycusis, a number one contributor to communication disorders among the elderly, thereby affecting the social, functional and psychological wellbeing of the elderly. This leads to loneliness, isolation, dependence and frustration.
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