INTRODUCTION
: Presbycusis or hearing loss caused by aging can generate communicative psychological and social problems in the elderly, with profound impacts on their social and family life.
OBJECTIVE:
This study aimed to analyze the perception of a group of seniors about their hearing handicap before and after using a hearing aid.
METHODS:
A questionnaire was administered to 29 elderly coming from a private hospital in the city of Curitiba, Brazil. In this study the elderly responded to questions regarding the emotional consequences caused by hearing loss and about the social effects of this loss. The questionnaire was completed prior to placing the hearing aid and in a second stage, after one or two years of use.
RESULTS:
We found significant differences between the average handicap before and after using the device (p=0.0000). Thus there was significant decrease of hearing handicap after hearing aid use in the study group.
CONCLUSION:
It was found that the elderly generally made good use of hearing aids after a year of use, which had a positive impact on the quality of life and perception of their auditory handicap before and after use of the prosthesis.
Hearing Aids; Hearing Loss; Elderly; Quality of Life; Rehabilitation