Auditory/Aural Rehabilitation for Adults
On this page:
- About Auditory/Aural Rehabilitation
- Your Hearing Loss
- Your Hearing Device
- Assistive Listening Devices
- How to Listen Again
- How to Improve Communication
- Your Legal Rights
- Resources
About Auditory/Aural Rehabilitation
Auditory rehabilitation (also called aural rehabilitation) can help people with hearing loss. You can gain a better understanding of your specific hearing loss and determine your communication needs and goals. These goals may include using hearing devices such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, or other hearing assistive technology. You will learn how to get the best results from your device(s). You may also work on listening and conversation strategies.
An audiologist and/or a speech-language pathologist will help guide your rehabilitation plan of care. You may receive treatment one-on-one, in a small group, through telepractice, or with the help of computer programs and applications.
Your Hearing Loss
Every hearing loss is different. You need to understand your hearing loss type. Your audiologist will explain your hearing loss and answer your questions. Common concerns that an audiologist can address include why people seem to mumble, why some voices may be more difficult to hear, or why you can hear but cannot understand what others say.
Your family does not know what you hear. But they may know that you do not hear well! Your audiologist can explain your hearing loss to them. There are even recordings that let others get a sense of what hearing loss is like.
Your Hearing Device
If you have a hearing aid or a cochlear implant, it is important to know what your device will and will not do. People who understand what to expect from their hearing devices will likely use them more often.
There are many types of hearing devices, and not every device will work for every person. Yours was chosen specifically to meet your hearing needs. Hearing devices do not cure hearing loss or return hearing to normal.
You will learn how to take care of your hearing device and how to troubleshoot some common device problems. You receive a lot of information when you get your hearing device. Auditory/aural rehabilitation gives you a chance to ask questions.
Assistive Listening Devices
A hearing aid will not wake you up in the morning. A hearing aid may not help you in a theater. There are other devices that can help:
- personal remote microphone systems
- telephone amplifiers
- alerting devices
- TV listening devices
You can learn more about these devices and what they do by visiting Hearing Assistive Technology.
How to Listen Again
Listening with hearing aids or cochlear implants may be an experience that takes practice. Be patient with yourself. You will hear sounds that are new or different to you. Hearing rehabilitation can help you get used to sounds and improve your listening skills.
Some people have hearing loss but do not need hearing aids. Hearing rehabilitation can help you improve your listening skills even if you do not use hearing devices.
How to Improve Communication
Hearing rehabilitation teaches you how to make talking with others easier and to advocate for yourself in different situations. You may work on goals like these:
- Conversation: Let others know what you need. Show people how to get your attention before they talk to you. Ask them to face you so that you can see their lips. Let them know that they do not need to shout and that speaking a bit slower may help. Ask questions when you do not understand.
- Home set-up: You may want to arrange furniture and add lighting to make it easier to see your conversation partners. Adding carpets can help keep other noises down. An alerting device can let you know when the doorbell or phone rings.
- Noise management: It can be hard to hear in a noisy restaurant. You can ask for a table away from the kitchen or bar. Sitting in a booth can be helpful. Sitting face to face with others will help you use visual cues.
- Visual cues: Visual cues give clues about how people feel and what they are saying. Speechreading is one type of visual cue that involves learning how sounds look on someone’s lips and watching their mouth when they talk. Other examples of visual cues include body language and facial expressions.
Your Legal Rights
Certain laws make sure that people with disabilities can access and participate in public places. The Americans with Disabilities Act is one example. Places like hospitals, courtrooms, schools, and museums must provide assistance for your communication needs. For example, they may have listening devices or sign language interpreters. Let people know you have a hearing loss and need help.
Resources
Many people have hearing loss. Joining a support group will give you the chance to learn from others. You can ask one another questions like these:
- How do they handle traveling, meetings, or appointments?
- What do they do when they go to the hospital or a theater?
- How do they talk on the phone?
- Do they use assistive listening devices?
- What has worked?
Support groups help you solve problems. They can also be fun.
National support groups are available for adults with hearing loss. The groups below also have local chapters. This list is limited and does not include every website on the topic. ASHA does not endorse information on these sites.
