Difficulties in communication experienced by spouses living with older people with Hearing Loss

Abstract

This study clarified concerns and difficulties related to communication and involvement experienced by spouses of older people with hearing loss.

The study subjects were 11 spouses of older people with hearing loss (5 men, 6 women). We interviewed spouses about communication-related difficulties and concerns of older people with hearing loss. The following results were obtained. The pure-tone hearing level of good hearing ears of these spouses (77.7±4.3 years old) was 20.6±9.5 dB. The age of the elderly with hearing loss was 78.5 ± 4.0 years, of which 6 were diagnosed with Hearing loss. We classified the spouses' communication experiences with older people with hearing loss into 6 categories: “Dissatisfaction with volume settings based on the standards for older people with hearing loss,” “Requests for conversations based on what older people with hearing loss understand,” “Sympathy for hearing difficulties,” “Consideration for neighbors,” “Acceptance of hearing loss as a sign of old age,” and “Distant relationships with older people with hearing loss.”

Since the number of older couple households is expected to increase in the future, it is suggested that it is necessary to support not only the older people with hearing loss but also their spouses.