Audiologists can also play a key role in the management of aphasic disorders. After a neurological event has taken place, resulting in Aphasia, the audiologist can assist the speech-language pathologist and other members of the health care team to set realistic goals for how to manage the hearing loss of a patient who can no longer participate in typical audiometric testing (Handelsman, 2016).
JoAnn P. Sikes is a strong advocate in the audiological community for audiological intervention in aphasic patients. In several articles she has published, she highlights the undeniable overlap in the populations that are most susceptible to Aphasia and hearing loss, as the risk of both pathologies increases with age (Sikes, Winterstein, 2017). In her 2012 article, Providing Audiological Services to Individuals with Aphasia, she suggests dozens of methods that any audiologist can utilize to alter their typical test …show more content…
It is important for these patients to have an ample amount of time to review all paperwork and information prior to the appointment, so they may process them at their own pace. Because the nature and success of this appointment will be so unpredictable, it is imperative to schedule extra time for these appointments. This way, testing may be performed at a slower speed to accommodate the potential slowing of processing (Sikes 2012). It is also highly beneficial provide the patient with concise cues and supplement any instruction with writing or gestures to aid in communication. As the pace of the appointment adapts with the nature of the patient’s condition, it may be necessary to modify tasks and techniques to accommodate their abilities (Sikes 2012). The importance of properly diagnosing and treating hearing loss is heavy because of the detrimental effects an undiagnosed hearing loss can have on a patient’s quality of life (Chews, Yeak,
JoAnn P. Sikes is a strong advocate in the audiological community for audiological intervention in aphasic patients. In several articles she has published, she highlights the undeniable overlap in the populations that are most susceptible to Aphasia and hearing loss, as the risk of both pathologies increases with age (Sikes, Winterstein, 2017). In her 2012 article, Providing Audiological Services to Individuals with Aphasia, she suggests dozens of methods that any audiologist can utilize to alter their typical test …show more content…
It is important for these patients to have an ample amount of time to review all paperwork and information prior to the appointment, so they may process them at their own pace. Because the nature and success of this appointment will be so unpredictable, it is imperative to schedule extra time for these appointments. This way, testing may be performed at a slower speed to accommodate the potential slowing of processing (Sikes 2012). It is also highly beneficial provide the patient with concise cues and supplement any instruction with writing or gestures to aid in communication. As the pace of the appointment adapts with the nature of the patient’s condition, it may be necessary to modify tasks and techniques to accommodate their abilities (Sikes 2012). The importance of properly diagnosing and treating hearing loss is heavy because of the detrimental effects an undiagnosed hearing loss can have on a patient’s quality of life (Chews, Yeak,