Evaluating and Treating Hearing Loss in the Older Patient: Clinical Case Studies

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have shown a general trend of poorer performance with hearing aids as a treatment option for hearing loss in older patients. Much of the predictive relationship between the presenting symptom of hearing loss and eventual outcome of the intervention used is attributable to variables other than those that can be addressed by the technology level of amplification selected for the patient. The patient's attitude, personality, denial of the problem, and even age are among the strongest determinants of success with hearing aids and other forms of nonmedical treatment of hearing loss. In addition, the age-related declines in higher level auditory processing are highly variable across patients and are, in fact, not evaluated in standard diagnostic audiologic test batteries. In this article, the use of additional or alternative diagnostic test methods, or both, is discussed as they relate to the older patient.

KEYWORDS

Elderly - hearing aids - bilateral - unilateral - binaural - speech-in-noise

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