Study finds high level of undiagnosed hearing loss in care home residents

A charity is calling on care homes to have clear procedures to manage residents’ hearing loss after it discovered a high level of undiagnosed hearing loss in people in care homes.

wants the to introduce communication standards similar to Scotland’s National Care Standards to transform the quality of care for residents in England who are deaf or hard of hearing.

In its new ‘A World of Silence’ report, the charity found a high level of undiagnosed hearing loss amongst people they screened in care homes and an acceptance by residents that losing their hearing was just part of getting older and didn’t need to be addressed.

During interviews with residents and staff, a picture also emerged of people not fully benefiting from their hearing aids.

Chief executive of Action on Hearing Loss, Paul Breckell, said: “It doesn’t matter how well a care home is run, if residents find themselves locked in an isolated world where they miss out on everyday sounds and conversation because their hearing loss isn’t diagnosed or adequately supported.

“With the scale of isolation for care residents with hearing loss only going to increase due to the ageing population, we’re calling on the Care Quality Commission to follow the lead of their Scottish counterparts by introducing standards to ensure the individual communication needs of residents are fully met. Unless the regulator and care home managers take immediate steps to tackle this hidden crisis, many more care residents across England will face reduced quality of life which could so easily be avoided.”

Hearing loss can have a devastating impact on older people who live in care homes as it can cause social isolation, which can lead to depression and exacerbate other conditions. However, if residents’ hearing loss is effectively managed, their quality of life can be dramatically improved.

Action on Hearing Loss believes that, to fully support residents with hearing loss and help them achieve a better quality of life, early diagnosis of hearing loss is vital.

Crucial early intervention can be achieved by GPs and community nurses integrating hearing checks into routine health assessments – particularly those targeting older people.

Care homes also need to have clear procedures to assess, record and manage residents’ hearing loss and include communication needs in personal plans.

To reduce unnecessary social isolation, staff should be trained in deaf awareness and know how to recognise hearing loss, help residents adjust their hearing aids and operate everyday assistive equipment such as TV listeners and hearing loops, said the charity.

The CQC welcomed the report and a spokeswoman said: “The Care Quality Commission is responsible for checking that care providers meet national quality and safety standards, and for promoting improvement in care.

“Our inspectors already examine arrangements for ensuring residents are treated with dignity, and supported in maintaining their independence.

“They also check residents receive care appropriate to their needs. “But the report suggests even in well run homes, people feel isolated due to hearing loss that has not been diagnosed, or hearing aids not working properly, and staff not communicating in a way that can be clearly understood.

“We look forward to meeting with Action on Hearing Loss to discuss these issues further.”

To read the report and find top tips for care homes to fully support residents with hearing loss, visit www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk/care