Hearing Care Intervention for Persons with Dementia: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective Hearing loss is a commonly unmet need among adults with dementia that may exacerbate common dementia-related behavioral symptoms. Accessing traditional audiology services for hearing loss is a challenge due to high cost and time commitment. To improve accessibility and affordability of hearing treatment for persons with dementia there is a need for unique service delivery models. The purpose of this study is to test a novel hearing intervention for persons with dementia and family caregivers delivered in outpatient settings. Design and Methods The Memory-HEARS pilot study delivered a 2 hour in-person intervention in an outpatient setting. A trained interventionist provided hearing screening, communication strategies, and provision of and instruction using a simple over-the-counter amplification device. Caregivers (n=20) responded to questionnaires related to depression, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and caregiver burden at baseline and 1-month post-intervention. Results Overall, caregivers felt the intervention was beneficial and a majority of the participants with dementia wore the amplification device daily. For the depression and neuropsychiatric outcome measures, participants with high symptom burden at baseline showed improvement at 1-month post-intervention. The intervention had no effect on caregiver burden. Qualitative responses from caregivers described improved engagement for their loved ones, such as laughing more, telling more stories, asking more questions, and having more patience. Conclusions The Memory-HEARS intervention is a low-cost, low-risk, non-pharmacological approach to addressing hearing loss and behavioral symptoms in patients with dementia. Improved communication has the potential to reduce symptom burden and improve quality of life.

Hearing Loss: Why Does It Matter for Nursing Homes?

“…$150-$299) over-the-counter assistive devices have been used successfully to improve daily functioning among older people 28 and people with dementia specifically. 29 Low-cost hearing assistance devices have also been used successfully in hospital settings to improve communication between patients, their families, and clinicians. 30,31 …”

Increasing access to hearing rehabilitation for older adults

“…43 Another recent pilot study in a memory care clinic demonstrates the preliminary benefit of a one-time hearing care program that includes a low-cost, over-the-counter amplification device and an abbreviated aural rehabilitation session tailored for cognitively impair older adults with hearing loss and their caregivers. 44 Primary care-based models are another model that may bring hearing care to more older adults.…”

Communication and burden in dementia care

“…Main barriers include finding information about services/support, mistrust of the services, the inflexibility of services, caregivers' beliefs regarding obligations to their caregiving role and resistance by the PWD Key facilitators include having good communication and beliefs about the caregiving role Mamo et al [50] To test a hearing intervention for PWD and their family caregivers Quantitative longitudinal randomized control study (N = 20)…”