
doi: 10.1044/arii18.1.3
Hearing impairment is the most common communication disability in older people. The wide-ranging impact of hearing impairment means that not only does the person with hearing impairment experience the consequences, but his or her frequent communication partners do also. In this article, the authors discuss the impact of hearing impairment in older people on spouses with normal hearing using the conceptualization of “third-party disability” created by members of the World Health Organization (WHO, 2001, p. 251). Results of a series of studies conducted by the authors demonstrate that spouses experience a range of activity limitations and participation restrictions due to their partner’s hearing impairment, including a variety of stresses involving lifestyle changes, communication difficulties, and emotional consequences. In this article, the authors highlight the important role of family-centered intervention in audiologic rehabilitation for older adults and emphasize the need to increase inclusion of spouses and significant others in the rehabilitation process.
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 12 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
