By: Sara Kyle, Ph.D , Resident Engagement Expert
With family visits returning there have been many creative solutions to foster communication. Most create a protective barrier of sorts or place people at least 6ft away from one another. Everyone will tell you this is a huge improvement from where we were weeks back. But what if I told you it can be even better. Would you take a chance?
Here is what we know about hearing impairment in senior living:
- Presbycusis, or age related hearing loss (ARHL), affects approximately two-thirds of adults older than 70 years and four fifths of adults older than 85. Hearing loss of 25 dB affects 80% of people over the age of 85.
- Hearing loss impacts communication and functional ability, and is strongly associated with decreased quality of life, cognitive decline, and depression. Despite its prevalence and morbidity, hearing loss is under recognized and under treated. It is often under recognized because of the slow progression and the belief that hearing loss is a normal part of aging.
- Among adults aged 70 and older with hearing loss who could benefit from hearing aids, fewer than one in three (30 percent) has ever used them.
- Studies suggest that older people with hearing loss are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and hearing loss can be associated with a faster rate of cognitive decline
Eversound has upgraded their already sound product (pun intended) to solve the hearing issue in your newly constructed visitation booths. Please know, the communication set is not just useful during COVID. We know there is will always be a need for tools that keep people involved socially and cognitively despite hearing impairment.
Wishful solutions for improved hearing through acoustics and capital heavy renovations may no longer be on the road map. But that does not mean you cannot turn a potentially frustrating family/friend visit into into a conversation in which every word is heard clearly without repeating oneself or the numerous “huhs”. The Eversound headphone communication package is an incredibly affordable solution.
If you think this is inaccurate, go observe the next scheduled family visit and you may see for yourself it is not all smooth sailing.
Learn more about Eversound’s Visitation Package for your community
References
About Sara Kyle, PhD
Sara Kyle, PhD owner of LE3 Consulting is relentless when it comes to bringing resident experience and well-being to the forefront of senior living operating models. Focused on programs and strategies to deliver a consistent resident experience she finds to be as equally important as moving in new residents, but often overlooked as a driver of occupancy. It is critically important that the story of engagement includes quantitative metrics to accompany qualitative descriptions. After spending 10+ years in large corporate settings leading resident programs across the full continuum of care, she is now consulting with operators, vendors, and private equity firms analyzing the various components and solutions of engagement, ensuring they mirror the larger organizational goals and strategy. Listening and gathering first hand knowledge from the resident, family and front line staff is the source of knowledge she continually falls back on to make decisions and create solutions.
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