Methodology developed at the VŠPJ helps seniors with hearing loss at the Jeřabina Home

Hearing impairment in the elderly is a problem that affects the quality of life in many ways, not only for the elderly themselves, but also for their friends. One of the initiatives with the ambition to change this is the unique multidisciplinary project Newéé approaches, methods and technologies in the field of diagnosis and correction of hearing impairment in the elderly in residential social services. This project, which was supported by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, was implemented in 2019–2021 by the Department of Socialální práce VŠPJ and was also collaborated by, for example, the staff of the Department of Technicalýýý VŠPJ or socialýý services.

One of the ýstages& of the project is a specificáln´ methodology focusedáon individualáln´ plánewání course of service for the user with hearing impairment, fromásets of communication with clients or help with the use ofání hearing aids. Even in the periodá after the endá of the project, this methodology is used in some of the clients in someýsocial services in the Highlands, including the Domova Jeřabina Pelhřimov, which was at the origin of the project.The initial idea for the creation of the methodology came from the staff of the Jeřabina Pelhřimov Home. They had the greatest&scaron&scaron&scaron&scaron&experience in the&scaron&scaronš area and since 2014 they cooperated with the phoniatrist MUDr. Olga Bendova,“ iná&dí coordinationá of the project Mgr. Jana Gabrielová, PhD., from the Department of Socialální práce VŠPJ and dále dodává: „The Jeřabina Home was thusé one of the socialáln´ services in the Highlands in which hearing screening was implemented;quality of life and cognitive functions, as well as phoniatricá &scaroná and audiologicalá &scaroná screening.“ 

Hearing issues are addressed in   The Crane Home and already during the social    and scaron;etre is before the client's degree. Dí this can not only record the initialí information, but alsoé have aé conversation with the client and´ find out how they cover their disability. „After the nástup, we then work with the client dále. We tryí to provide himá in&scaroné availableé information and offerá newé possibilities,“ explains Bc. Jaroslava Fialová, a worker of Dom Jeřabina Pelhřimov, whichá was involved in the project as a coordinator of the project, and continues. Weá&the&client&with&the&sequence&of&the&measurements&and&the&possibility&of&additional&solutions&that&could&allow&the&client&to®ain&hearing&again.“ 

Source photo: Home Jeřabina Pelhřimov

Theínose of theé newé methodology is appreciated by both the clients of the Jeřabina Home and their familyé friendsé servicesšnícients. „Hearing aids inývariousýways have improved theýquality&of&life&of&their&wearers. Theyáce inúfrequentý socialý and individualální eventsá in the&home&and&outside&the&home&and&have´ more&scaroná ofá theá ofá theá ofá theá ofá theá ofá theá ofá theá around&around&it,“ řá ofá Jaroslava Fialová andá ofá: „Overábuzní of clients are pleasantly surprised how grandfather or grandmother má ináce ofájism and joy of life. Theíce communicateí with them, alreadyí enjoyí the grandchildren and great-grandchildren.“ Theí methodology is positively evaluatedí so´ by the staff of the home. „Úpartí in this project, we learned how to care for hearing aids, prošcolliál staff, improvedšlní support material and zíscale equippedá with a newly createdý program to measureá hearing for ourše needs,“ saysá Jaroslava Fialová and continues: “Employees more easily communicate with clients, tím more qualitatively adjust individualální approaches and expectations. The newáchozí staff will be very well guided by the methodology on hearing issues and will get to know the practicalý procedures.“

Although specialální methodology has been recordedávají in Home Crane iný úhaste, in solvingšení hearingý defects in the elderly overále alludeá to someé limits.„We seeém problems in the timingání solutionšení of hearing problems. The residentialé service nowá receives moreá clients in stá greater&scaron& í numbers with already advanced dementiaá whoá is unfortunately a contraindication, and we are not able to solve the problem of hearing in cooperation with the client, explains Jaroslava Fialová and adds: „During socialáálnálnás&scaronáetrenás in the client's homeácácá environment, we often encounter tám that the hearingá deficiency is not addressed by theá or by theá practitioner, family or terá socialá service. Peopleé aroundé seniors doé not realizeé that because of the lack ofé peopleé beginé toé withdraw fromé society, areé lonelyé andé watché problemsé withé dementiaé deepening.“

What is the probímá Vás, how does the probíhall of fátnátnátnás multidisciplinary project aimed at helping seniors with hearing loss? Listen to the interview with Dr. Marké&t Dubnova and Dr. Jana Gabrielova for the Polytechnicast podcast.