Physical aging is a natural process that appears within psychosocial and behavioral contexts that greatly influence the progression of an individual’s experience of aging. Aging is often associated with greater exposure to disease and disability. The primary auditory disorder of many older people is difficulty understanding speech in noisy situations or competing speech, or that their communicators speak too fast, or do not articulate clearly enough. Age-related hearing loss, also known as presbycusis is a gradual and progressive hearing loss that affects most individuals as they age. Due to the slow evolution, adults with age-related hearing loss may not recognize that their hearing ability is decreasing, but if they do, they may acknowledge it as typical aging. Age is the greatest risk factor for sensorineural hearing loss, of greater degree in the higher frequencies and increasingly progressive. The term presbycusis reflects both peripheral and central auditory system dysfunction. Nevertheless, hearing loss is often mistreated due to its hidden sense that is always anticipated to be operating. Nevertheless, it is essential to study and understand aspects of several different types of hearing loss as it may be socially debilitating.
Hearing loss can influence the communication abilities of a person, not only in terms of receiving and processing information, but also in providing an appropriate and accurate response to the communicating partner. Impaired audition potentially compromises individual’s interactions with his or her environment, from basic awareness of warning sounds to the complex and subtle nuances of conversation. Individuals with age-related hearing loss may realize several affective factors, such as: the speech ...
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...ds of time compression, rather than to cognitive slowing. Many elders with presbycusis can and do benefit from amplification, such as hearing aids or other assistive listening devices as it enables better hearing and reduces the communication barriers enforced by hearing impairment. By improving the audibility and communication deficits associated with hearing impairment, better quality of life can be achieved. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the prevalence of hearing aids among hearing-impaired elders is quite low, remaining about 20% (Gates et al., 2008). In conclusion, there is evidence that auditory and cognitive factors cause elderly listener’s difficulties keeping up with fast rates of speech. Thus, it is essential to continue these researches to advance the clinical implications of assisting individuals in order to make their communication easier.
Mark started losing his hearing when he was about six or seven years old. This was manifested in confusion in music class, misunderstanding the words that the choir was singing, and discombobulation in noisy rooms. Eventually, it was noted that Mark’s hearing was deteriorating.
In this article, “The Deaf Body in Public Space,” Rachel Kolb explains how interacting with people who do not understand sign language could be difficult. With her hearing disability she struggled to communicate with her peers. Kolb further explains the different situations she has encountered with people and comments that are made with first intercommunications. Going further she also mentions how she struggles with two languages and two modes of communication.
...o account that much of the evidence is the author’s own works, that a bias is present. Darrow strongly believes in the integration of students with hearing loss into the music classroom. She does however point out opposing views and successfully dismantles them with strong and sound reasoning. One of the points Darrow makes is that many people believe that music is a “hearing value” and that the ability to make discriminations about what a person might hear is solely a function of hearing, when in reality it is actually a function of listening. “Listening is a mental process; hearing is a physical process,” states Darrow. The music learning environment is a great place for these students to develop their listening skills. “The development of good listening skills allows students with hearing losses to use their residual hearing to the maximum extent possible” (Darrow)
This is causing audiologists in the future to pursue careers in research, military audiology, and academia, instead of private practice. However, since hearing loss is associated with aging, individuals continually demand services from audiologists. Also, members of the baby boomer generation are all now seeking services from audiologists. It is projected that the profession of audiology is to grow approximately 37% within the next few years, and the field is to continue expanding.
Specific Purpose: To help people to understand what Audism is and that the lack of an ability to hear does not mean they are incapable of performing tasks.
Tanner, D.C. (2003). Chapter 6: Hearing Loss and Deafness. In Exploring communication disorders: A 21st century introduction through literature and media (2nd ed., p. 189). Boston, Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon.
There is no denying that hearing loss can have significant psychosocial impacts on those who experience it. The most negatively impacted group, however, is young children, for whom hearing loss can impede early learning and development (Connor et al., 2006). One viable solution to this problem takes the form of cochlear implants. An artificial cochlear unit is surgically implanted in the ear and functions by translating sounds directly into electrical impulses and sending them to the brain (Roland & Tobey, 2013, p. 1175). Despite the high success rates that they have produced, critics contend that cochlear implants should not be carried out on very young children. They cite certain physiological concerns as well as doubts about long-term effectiveness (Hehar et al., 2002, p. 11). Some have even expressed worries that cochlear implants will negatively impact young children’s social development by making them feel different or out of place (Ketelaar, 2012, pp. 518-519). Certainly, not every child with hearing loss is a viable candidate for an implant procedure. However, when a candidate has been positively identified, the procedure should take place as early as possible, in order to guarantee maximum educational and developmental benefits.
Tucker, Bonnie. “Deaf Culture, Cochlear Implants, and Elective Disability.” Hastings Center Report. 28.4 (1998): 1-12. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 9 Dec. 2013.
All individuals would be enriched by becoming a bit more Deaf. By that we mean society would do well to become more acutely aware of the nuances of communication, more engaged in eye contact and tactile relations, more fluent in a language rich in embodied metaphor, more aware of the role of being a member of close-knit communities, and if nothing else more appreciative of human diversity, so that we [are] constantly reminded that the bedrock of reality may be just as diaphanous as any other social construction. (Bauman and Murray 255)
If a person's hearing or sight is impaired, body language and tone of voice will become more important.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (November 2002). Retrieved October 17, 2004, from http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/coch.asp
As the life expectancy in the United States rises, the number of elderly in the population has also expanded. These increases have led to the oldest-old (people aged 90 and older) to become the fastest growing age group in the country. The oldest-old face many unique challenges because of their age, one of which is disability. Disability in the elderly has major impact upon society 1 and will continue will be a growing burden in years to come.
National Institute of Health. (2011). National Institute on Deafness and other communication disorders: Improving the lives of people who have communication disorders. National Institute on
Millions of people deal with Alzheimer's and hearing loss. Several studies have confirmed the link between hearing loss and Alzheimer's. The risk of developing Alzheimer's increases as hearing loss grows worse. Researchers compared people with hearing loss to people who do not have hearing loss. When compared to people with normal hearing, people with mild hearing loss are almost twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's. People who have a severe hearing impairment have a higher risk of developing the disease. Specifically, hearing loss is common in people who have a hearing impairment that is greater than 25 decibels. Senior citizens are most likely to be at risk for hearing loss and Alzheimer's.
Those not thoroughly educated in communication tend to confuse the terms “hearing” and “listening.” Although they appear to mean the same thing, utilize the same body part, and are both required for functional communication, there is a great difference between these two actions. Hearing involves the perception of sound using the ears, while listening is based upon giving attention to the sound being perceived. Additionally, because these concepts are different, there are also several different ways of improving hearing and listening. Thus, there are several differences between these two concepts, and it is important to signify these differences in order to practice effective communication.