Counseling the geriatric population living with hearing loss: approaches used by audiologists in South Africa

Abstract

Hearing loss is common in the geriatric population and can be caused by comorbidities or aging related hearing decline. In addition to diagnosing and treating hearing loss for this population, audiologists counsel and educate clients and family members on many aspects of hearing and balance care to improve patient outcomes. Counseling may help geriatric clients better understand and accept their communication disorder, limitations, and restrictions, as well as enhance their psychological functioning. This study aimed to investigate the approaches employed by audiologists when providing information and adjustment support counseling to the geriatric population experiencing hearing loss. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used to recruit fourteen audiologists practicing in South Africa. Data was collected through interviews, and inductive thematic analysis was used to identify themes. The findings highlight that audiologists provide information counseling by explaining evaluation processes, hearing loss, and hearing aids, using educational resources during counseling and involving families and caregivers. Adjustment support counseling was provided during follow-up sessions and by addressing patients’ emotional aspects. This study examines audiologists’ perspectives on counseling for geriatric patients, highlighting its importance in improving understanding of audiological assessments, hearing loss diagnoses, assistive device options, and quality of life. The study also highlights limitations and calls for more undergraduate and continuous professional development training programs to enhance counseling competency.