DRM261_0918_Hearing and Communication Guide

COMMUNICATION PLAN

HEARING & COMMUNICATION GUIDE

Better hearing is more than just a hearing aid... Hearing is only one aspect of communication.

COMMUNICATION

HEARING provides access to sound

LISTENING

COMPREHENSION

is the effective

and paying

is the correct

use and shaping

attention to what

understanding of

of information

is important

what is being said

Patient Name: __________________________________________________________ Date: __________________________ Your Audiogram/Hearing Test Results Low Pitched 250 Soft Sounds

CHALLENGING COMMUNICATION SCENARIOS TV

Family/Friends

Music

Church/Synagogue

Telephone

Physician/Doctors Office

Theater

Soft Speech

Children/Grandchildren

Movies

Lectures/Meetings

20

Classroom

30

Outdoors

Sporting Events

2000

High Pitched 8000

4000

0

Normal Hearing: Normal speech recognition

10

40

GOALS

1000

-10

Restaurants

Car/Transportation

500

50

1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

60

2. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

70

f z v i j m dg n ng e l u

p hg

a o

r

ch

sh

k

s

th Mild Hearing Loss: Trouble with soft speech, such as children’s voices, some female voices, hearing in noise, hearing at a distance

Moderate Hearing Loss: Trouble with whispers, speech in noise, distance, auditoriums, hearing on the telephone, all voices seem weak

80

3. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

90

Severe Hearing Loss: Difficulty understanding all speech

4. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Loud Sounds

5. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ TREATMENT PLAN

Profound Hearing Loss: Rely mostly on reading lips or sign language

1. Audibility: ____________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Brain Training:

Aural Rehabilitation Program

Audiobook

Familiar Sounds Checklist

Discrimination:

R __________________ L __________________

3. Communication Strategies:

AU _________________

a) ________________________________________________________________________________________________ b) ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Speech/Noise:

c) ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Unaided _____________ Aided _______________

d) ________________________________________________________________________________________________

We will help you choose the best hearing aid model and level of technology to suit your hearing loss, lifestyle and budget.

www.widexusa.com

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DRM261/0918

e) ________________________________________________________________________________________________

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LISTENING ASSESSMENT

IMPORTANT HEARING FACTS 1

What brought you to our office today? ____________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 out of 3 people age 70 and older have hearing loss Inner Ear

2 Please check the appropriate circles below that apply to your current hearing abilities in various environments.

Select one:

with hearing aids

without hearing aids HOW WELL DO YOU CURRENTLY HEAR IN THIS ENVIRONMENT?

LISTENING ENVIRONMENTS

WELL

FAIR

POOR

Outer Ear

HOW FREQUENTLY ARE YOU IN THIS LISTENING ENVIRONMENT? OFTEN

SOMETIMES

WHICH 3 LISTENING ENVIRONMENTS DO YOU STRUGGLE IN THE MOST? (ONLY SELECT 3 SITUATIONS)

RARELY

Quiet Room (1 to 2 people)

Large Social Gatherings

Amplification is only part of the rehabilitative process

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

Use your eyes as much as possible.

Hearing is easier when you can see your communication partner. Get close and make sure you can see their face.

At the Work Place Watching Television

Be prepared for noise!

If you’re going to a noisy restaurant, try to go at less busy times to avoid large, noisy crowds. If you’re going to a lecture or religious service, get there early and sit up front. You will always hear better when you are closer to the individuals speaking.

During Religious Services Meetings / Lectures

Keep track of the conversation.

Repeat back what you heard to make sure you are on track with the conversation.

Try to be specific about what you missed during a conversation. Instead of saying, “huh” or “what”, repeat back what you did hear. One example, “You’re going out at what time?” This strategy helps the speaker not have to repeat everything he/she said.

In the Car Outdoors On the Telephone What is your experience with hearing aids? (check all that apply) I have never used a hearing aid(s) or visited a Hearing Healthcare Professional to inquire about a hearing aid(s).

I have been to another Hearing Healthcare Professional to gather information regarding my hearing difficulties, but have not tried or purchased.

I have tried a hearing aid(s) but returned the instrument(s).

I have a hearing aid(s) but only wear it occasionally or not at all.

I have a hearing aid and wear it regularly on the

right ear,

left ear.

Be patient.

Be patient with yourself and your communication partners. You will not always understand everything, but by using these ideas you should get the most important information.

Improved communication can lead to a better quality of life.

People with a hearing impairment often wait more than 7 years before actually doing something about their hearing loss. Don’t wait that long. The sooner you take care of your hearing loss, the sooner you can enjoy a better quality of life through better communication with your family, friends and loved ones.

Please rank the following features (or qualities) in terms of their importance in a hearing aid.

(1 through 4, with 1 being the most important): _____ Overall Sound Quality

5

An untreated MILD hearing loss may result in a 6-year age decline in cognitive performance

Dine with smaller, more intimate groups.

This will make it easier to follow dinner conversations.

Small Groups (4 to 6 people)

4

Older adults with hearing loss have a 24% higher risk of cognitive impairment

Address your loved one by name.

Before starting a conversation, call or say the person’s name. This will direct their attention to you.

One-to-One Conversations

3

Hearing is a complex system involving the ear, the 8th nerve and the brain

Middle Ear

_____ Reliability

_____ Style/Appearance

_____ Cost

On a scale of 1-10, how motivated are you regarding doing something about your hearing loss? (Please select one)

1

2 NOT MOTIVATED

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3

4 SOMEWHAT MOTIVATED

5

6 MOTIVATED

7

8 VERY MOTIVATED

9

10 EXTREMELY MOTIVATED

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