Difficulties associated with spoken conversation are a primary impairment for adults with mild cognitive impairment or dementia, but most studies on communication affected by Alzheimer’s dementia did not consider – or treat–the additive impact of hearing loss. Individuals experiencing cognitive change are at high risk for hearing loss, and the combination of hearing loss and cognitive impairment results in significantly greater functional limitations than either disability alone. However, there is a lack of information (and no clinical guidelines) regarding hearing aid selection and fitting for this population. In this hearing aid trial, a collaboration with Dr. Angela Roberts, we’ll provide hearing aids to adults experiencing cognitive change. We’ll then meet with those adults and their communication partners, such as as family member or close friend, to assess how helpful the hearing aids are to functional communication. Our hope is to gather information that will guide audiological rehabilitation for these individuals. If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the hearing aid trial, please contact us for more information.
