The auditory rehabilitation in the elderly

Abstract

One of the most incapacitating sensorial alterations in the process of growing old is the auditive deficiency known as presbycusis. This alteration reduces social contacts, causing emotional problems, which are frequently overwhelmed. In addition to the auditory limitation due to acquired auditive deficiency, an auditive handicap appears, related to non-auditive aspects and to emotional and social alterations. Study design: Clinical prospective. Material and Method: Seven subjects, three of the male and four of the female, from 60 to 77 years old, were studied. They presented bilateral sensoneural hearing loss and used unilateral hearing aid. Seven auditive rehabilitation sessions were held, lasting one hour each, once a week and in group. Speech reading of all phonemes of Portuguese language was used. Results: A significant reduction of the auditive handicap perception was verified in all the subjects, at the end of seven sessions. This result was established by using the HHIE-S questionnaire pre and post rehabilitation. Conclusion: In order to diminish psycho social reactions of aged people, due to auditory deficiency, its is necessary to indicate, select and adapt hearing aid, parallel to auditive rehabilitation programs in order to help elder with auditory deficiency and their families to deal positively with the difficulties of communication. Through auditive rehabilitation programs it is possible to reduce the auditive handicap perception of old population. This will give old a better quality of life, encourage their social contacts and lessen their loneliness.