Details

Session Overview: This presentation explores the importance of families in the lives of adults with hearing impairment. Family is defined as any individual who plays a significant part in a person’s life, through a continuing biological, legal or emotional relationship. It has been shown that engaging families in healthcare of any kind is associated with positive outcomes, such as increased patient satisfaction with care and better treatment adherence. The importance of social supports for the general health and mental health of older adults has also been well-established. For audiology specifically, family involvement and the social and emotional support they can provide is even more important. Fundamentally, this is because the communication difficulties associated with hearing impairment are experienced by families as well as those who have the impairment. Findings from a program of research into how to implement family-centred hearing care will be presented. It is argued that audiologists have a unique opportunity to provide family-centred care and, in so doing, they will improve the ‘wellness’ of both the person with hearing impairment and his or her family.

 

Presenter(s): Louise Hickson

 

Event: Trans Tasman Conference 2020