Methods of Caring for the Hard of Hearing
(Seniors Choice, October 2004)
- by Kevan van Herd -
In this day of enlightenment, and knowledge accessible to those wishing it, we find it surprising that so many health workers still do not understand methods of caring for a Hard of Hearing person.
Some residential homes and hospitals convey messages to staff via overhead speakers located just outside the patient's rooms. Such a loud noise should be replaced by individual communication systems accessible to staff only- thus the patients would not be concerned with the information they hear via the loud speakers.
We asked some staff members in the hospital and other nursing homes, if their training had covered hearing loss in patients-- most did not remember that this problem had had been mentioned at all - and most thought that shouting at a deaf person was all that was required to communicate with them, not knowing that shouting often makes speech less comprehensible. Many have heard a nurse shouting at a Hard of Hearing patient about a subject matter better discussed in a private room --which was embarrassing to the patient.
Sometimes staff has the idea that because a person is hard of hearing that they are stupid. It would have been easy to ascertain the difference had the staff member known how.
There is a clear need for all professionals to learn about hearing loss, its effect on the person, particularly in old age -- and the simple ways in which hearing loss can be distinguished from mental decline.
A one-hour session for staff members is enough to teach these essentials as well as basic communication skills with the hard of hearing patients.
It is regretful that as we age, we tend to grow more and more hard of hearing, so it is important that staff members understand the problems encountered by their elderly patients, and how to effectively communicate with them.
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