Helping Your Patients Through the COVID-19 Crisis
During this time of social distancing, communication has become increasingly digitized, relying on phone calls, video conferencing and webinars. For those with hearing loss, staying connected has become much more difficult. If unaddressed, this isolation can have a serious impact, including depression, heart disease, abnormal immune systems, and even dementia for aging patients. We asked our Chief Health Officer Dr. Archelle Georgiou to weigh in on how the COVID-19 pandemic may impact those suffering from hearing loss and what can be done to mitigate these effects.
Q: In what ways can the current quarantine and physical distancing mandate impact people with hearing loss, including those who have been diagnosed and already fit with hearing aids?
A: Use of remote technology has skyrocketed during this pandemic and has replaced the vast majority of face-to-face interactions in the workplace, school and between family and friends. Individuals with hearing loss lose the ability to “put a voice with a face,” and the sound distortion that occurs with virtual conferencing technology makes it difficult to distinguish who is talking and what they are saying. As a result, individuals with hearing loss risk:
- being perceived as disruptive if they ask for clarification,
- being misinformed if they misinterpret speech content, and/or
- being disengaged if they cope by avoiding active participation in these communication forums.
All of these behaviors not only deepen the isolation for individuals with hearing loss, but also put them at risk for long-term consequences that could last well beyond the social distancing requirements associated with the pandemic. For example, as businesses streamline their workforce in order to decrease their operational costs, employees who are disengaged or making misinformed decisions are at higher risk for losing their jobs. For students with hearing loss, learning accommodations may not fully prevent a knowledge deficit that could impact their grades in future classes which could, in turn, affect their overall scholastic performance and subsequent job opportunities. And, as family and friends with normal hearing learn to enjoy online social interactions, those with hearing loss could find themselves being excluded from “Zoom parties” as they continue, even after they are no longer necessary.
On a positive note, this time has also motivated many people, young and old, to use technology in new ways they had not adopted before. I believe we will find that even older adults will enjoy using some of these new-found skills and tools, because it helps keep them connected to family and friends.
Q: How will these patients’ situations be aggravated by closures of audiology offices and limited access to other health care professionals?
A: Individuals with hearing loss may take years to acknowledge the need to get formally evaluated and fit with hearing aids. But, once they do, patients – as well as their family, friends and colleagues – depend on the proper functioning of their devices. Closure of audiology offices without alternatives for device repairs and adjustments puts patients at risk of abruptly abandoning the use of their hearing aids or significantly decreasing their wearing time. This could create communication, safety and health issues more akin to acute hearing loss. Patients wearing older devices and even new patients who have a hearing loss that requires action are at similar risk. Treatment of hearing loss becomes even more important during a public health crisis, so finding ways to continue to serve our communities is key.
Q: What remote strategies can audiologists implement to help these patients and their families?
A: Now, more than ever, hearing health is an essential service. While remote strategies will never completely replace face-to-face professional services, hearing providers can continue to safely meet many patients’ needs by implementing changes to their services. For example, Starkey’s Hearing Care Anywhere capabilities allow providers to make adjustments for patients remotely. Starkey recently released this feature for all patients across all technology tiers of our Livio line of hearing aids, to give even more people access to this important resource. Providers can find more information on remote programming here.
In addition to telehealth capabilities, hearing providers can proactively reach out to patients by using the most basic remote technology, the telephone. Consider calling patients to simply ask: “How are you? Is there anything I can do to help you? Do you have batteries you need? Are you able to hear well around the house, follow the news on television, use your phone well?” Let them know that you are available to help them as you ordinarily would, but think about how the ways in which you help them need to change. Remote programming is just one example. Many hearing professionals are using curbside pick-up or contactless drop-off, similar to how restaurants and grocery stores continue to service their customers during this disruption. In addition to addressing their hearing aid device issues, your phone call may help the social isolation and loneliness that people with hearing loss are disproportionately experiencing.
As this pandemic continues to unfold, we at Starkey are compiling important resources for hearing providers on this webpage. We encourage anyone, including providers and patients, to reach out to us with questions they may have during this time. We are here to help however we can.