Has it come to your notice that an older relative seems to be having trouble hearing you at times while talking over the phone or in person? These are the situations that are pretty common. Sometimes the issue arises while you converse in a place full of ambient noise, and in such a situation, you don’t need to worry.
But for a plethora of cases, this sort of problem can imply that an elderly person is being affected by hearing loss that is gradually getting worse over time.
In India, 1.8 to 7 million people are diagnosed with hearing disabilities, and a huge chunk of this section comprises elderly people. So, it’s better to take notice of the issues and start working on them to have a better audible future.
In this section of the blog, let us look at some of the options which provide a remedy to elderly people with hearing disabilities.
Hearing Aids:
Getting the right kind of hearing aid for your needs can definitely be confusing because there are different variants available in the market today. Here’s a look at the types of hearing aids that one can go for –
1. Behind the Ear Hearing Aids or BTE:
This type of hearing aid stays behind the ear with the help of a tube or wire and sends the amplified sound into your ear canal.
Suitable for: Patients who have a mild and moderate level of hearing loss.
2. In the Ear or In the Canal Hearing Aids or ITE/ITC:
This type of hearing aids completely fits into your ears since they have their working parts inside the earmold. Compared to Behind the Ear hearing aids, they are less visible.
Suitable for: Patients who show mild and moderate hearing loss, and who want a subtle hearing solution.
3. Completely in Canal Hearing Aids or CIC:
This category of hearing aids sit inside the ear and are very little visible. The compact size means technologically inferior as features like hearing loop are lacking.
Suitable for: Patients who have mild to moderate hearing loss such as the ones due to injury or old age.
4. Invisible in the Canal Hearing Aids or IIC:
This hearing aid is fitted right inside the ear canal and becomes almost invisible while using. It is removed by an audiologist or an otolaryngologist.
Suitable for: People affected with mild to moderate hearing loss which includes Presbycusis and infection.
5. Body-Worn Hearing Aids:
This type of hearing aids can be clipped onto your clothes or be kept in your pocket easily. And after that, this can be connected to an earmold through a soft tip.
Suitable for: Senior patients who have both hearing and sight issues since it may be difficult for them to use small buttons.
6. Contralateral Routing of Signals or Bi Contralateral Routing of Signals Hearing Aids or CROS/BiCROS:
It picks up sounds coming from the side of the ear with no hearing and feeds the same into the hearing ear. BiCROS aids amplify the sounds coming from both directions and feed the same into the best ear.
Suitable for: Elderly patients, with one working and one non-working ear.
7. Bone Conduction Hearing Aids:
This type of hearing aid creates a vibration on a certain section of the skull bone. It provides the sound directly to the organ for hearing or the cochlea.
Suitable for: Patients who have an issue of conductive hearing loss.
The study has shown that the issue of hearing loss treatment, done with a Cochlear Implant or Hearing Aids can provide definite advantages to the process of hearing, which stays stable over a certain period of time, in older patients.
Patients with an untreated hearing loss issue show a notably worse quality of life and project a trend for higher levels of anxiety, depression, and the perceived handicap than comparable patients treated with a CI.
Hearing loss should always be treated in adults older than 65 years, which is in terms of the progressive nature of presbycusis, and the observed relation between noticeably reduced auditory input upon socio-emotional and overall health domains.
We, at TriBeCa Care, care about you and your family. Our Home Care is categorically structured to provide the elderly with the support that they deserve. If you have any further query then feel free to reach us. Call us at + 913366064208 or request a callback. Email us at enquiry@newwpsite.tribecacare.com
