Nursing care for older adults with hearing loss

Abstract

Hearing loss has been a leading cause of older adult hearing handicaps in Thailand. The prevalence of hearing loss in older adults in Thailand will rapidly rise for the next several decades with the increasing diversity of the older adult population. Hearing loss has the effect on decrease quality of life, with adverse effects on physical, emotional, economic, social functioning and spiritual of the older adults. The purpose of this paper is to raise the awareness of hearing loss in older adults, to update current understanding with a focus on age-related hearing loss, categories of hearing loss, causes and risk factors, the effect of hearing loss and to explore strategies of nursing care. The ultimate goals are to improve the nursing knowledge and overall quality of life of the older adults with hearing loss.