Hearing loss and its impact on residents in long term care facilities: asystematic review of literature

The prevalence of age-related hearing loss is high among older adults. Growing longevity and the older profile of aged care residents is likely to result in an increasing incidence of hearing loss among this cohort. This review reports on the findings of a systematic search of the academic databases CINAHL, Medline, PsychInfo and Scopus undertaken to investigate the hearing experiences of residents of aged care facilities. Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Our analysis revealed clear barriers and facilitators to optimal hearing experiences and indicated the importance of the physical and social environment for effective communication. Under-detection of hearing loss and underuse of hearing aids were prevalent. The findings highlight the importance of addressing these issues for this cohort's quality of life. Future trends that may impact on training needs are considered and recommendations are made.