Effectiveness of an Educational Seminar for Older Adults With Hearing Loss

Abstract

Purpose: Despite the recognized benefits of aural rehabilitation (AR), its adoption has been limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of group AR through an educational seminar for older adults with hearing loss, “Optimal Hearing,” evaluating the application of various patient-reported outcome measures. Method: Participants were older adults with hearing loss. The seminar covered content such as hearing loss and aging, audiogram interpretation, clear speech, lipreading, and hearing aids. Small group activities for personalized instruction also included: the Client Oriented Scale of Improvement (COSI), Communication Confidence Profile (CCP), and, a study-specific measure, the Optimum Hearing Questionnaire (OHQ). Results: Participants experienced significant improvements in various areas measured by the COSI. The CCP showed significant change in one item (confidence while conversing with friends in a noisy restaurant), while several items on the OHQ indicated significant changes postintervention. Conclusion: The findings suggest the potential clinical utility of these measures in group AR settings and the importance of individualized goal setting. Supplemental Material: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.26824111