Communication and Healthcare: Self-Reports of People with Hearing Loss in Primary Care Settings.

CONCLUSIONS: This study clearly demonstrates the ongoing difficulties faced by individuals with hearing loss, particularly older adults, as they attempt to navigate both providers and situations associated with a typical primary care office visit. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Inexpensive and efficient changes to improve communication include (1) Improving one-on-one provider communication by facing the individual with good lighting, clear speaking, and not obstructing one's mouth; (2) Environmental changes such as using visual or tactile alerting devices in waiting rooms and adding noise-dampening carpeting and curtains; and (3) Avoiding telephones and conveying health information in writing. PMID: 29702039 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Clinical Gerontologist - Category: Geriatrics Tags: Clin Gerontol Source Type: research