Connection between neglect and hearing loss in older Aussies

This helpful article discusses how older people are highly reliant on their hearing devices and other strategies (such as positioning and room acoustics) to communicate, understand what is happening around them, and to express their preferences and opinions. If a caregiver fails to support them in accessing and using these strategies, the effect can amount to neglect.

As an example, the caregiver may miss the older person’s scheduled hearing appointments or fail to help them manage, wear and care for their hearing aids. Either of these oversights can contribute to making the older person vulnerable in other settings.

Similarly, with lipreading being so important to people with hearing loss, this can pose problems too.