LISTENING IN THE CARE ENVIRONMENT - CHAOS OR CLARITY FOR THE HEARING-IMPAIRED ELDERLY PERSON

The reported study evaluates listening circumstances within long-stay wards in an attempt to understand the nature of the environment and so develop and subsequently evaluate a programme of nursing intervention for hearing-impaired residents. Evidence is presented which indicates that improvement of the residents' listening environment, promotes ad aptation to hearing aids and enhances residents' quality of life. It i s recommended that attending to the listening environment becomes a co ncern of nurses working within continuing care facilities for elderly people. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.