May is Better Hearing & Speech Month, which is a fantastic time to take a closer look at whether seniors are experiencing trouble with hearing, speech, or even other concerns. Seniors who wear hearing aids may need extra help with maintaining those devices, for instance. They may also be having trouble with daily activities like safely swallowing food, which is something speech therapy can help resolve. Home health care services can offer a lot of support that seniors may need related to both speech and hearing issues.

Identifying Hearing and Speech Issues

Sometimes it isn’t all that easy for family members to recognize hearing or speech issues. The changes can be subtle and seniors may accommodate their difficulties in ways that aren’t obvious to them, either. Some of the signs to watch for could involve seniors having trouble following conversations or asking people to repeat themselves often. Sometimes seniors might be frustrated when they’re trying to communicate with other people. With speech issues, sometimes the signs could be in other activities, like seniors having trouble eating or drinking. Home health care can offer a lot of help to seniors in identifying some of these issues so that they can get the help they need from medical providers.

Helping with Hearing Aid Use

Seniors who use hearing aids may need some extra help now that they didn’t need in the past with maintaining and using these devices. Maintaining hearing aids is not always an easy task. The devices are small, and as seniors experience bigger challenges with vision and manipulating small items, they might start to neglect hearing aid maintenance. Home health care providers can assist with those tasks, and also help to remind seniors to use their hearing aids regularly.

Facilitating Communication with Healthcare Providers

Managing speech and hearing difficulties often means working with a variety of new specialists. Speech therapists, occupational therapists, audiologists and more all need to work with a senior’s existing healthcare providers. Home health offers a liaison between these different healthcare providers, simplifying the process. They can also help seniors to understand more about what they need to know in order to improve their speech and hearing while also managing other health issues.

Supporting Speech and Language Exercises

Once seniors are working with the right therapists for their needs, there might be more than a few exercises they need to do between appointments. Home health care providers can help seniors remember to do these exercises regularly. They can also help them to do the exercises properly, making sure they stick to their care plan. With the right guidance and support, seniors are more likely to make solid strides in their recovery plans.

Home health care can do an awful lot to help seniors who are having trouble with their speech and hearing. Depending on the senior’s needs, there might be more that they can do to help. Working through communication challenges and having the right help to work at their own pace can be incredibly empowering for aging adults.

If you or an aging loved one is considering home health care in Bethesda, MD, please contact the caring staff at Care At Home today. 301-970-9706

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Ann Smith RN

Owner at Care at Home

Ann Smith, RN, Realtor® Your local Home care and Home transition expert Ann is a Registered Nurse and a Realtor with a passion and dedication to serving her community. She has over twenty years of nursing experience in pediatric, geriatric, home health care, and care management. She founded Care at Home, a home care company, to provide seniors with services that promote independence and safe aging in place. Ann is dedicated to helping seniors achieve stress-free retirement living by providing comprehensive services from health to home. Ann's mother instilled in her the value of hard work, dedication, and service to others at a young age, which is now a driving force in her home care agency. Her caring and compassionate work with seniors began when she was just 17 years old. She was offered a job as a caregiver. Just as quickly, she instinctively knew that this would be her life's work. She soon became a nurse and has since helped many older adults transition seamlessly into a new phase of life. While helping seniors and individuals with their home care needs, it became apparent that part of the transition process often involved selling their current home for more suitable living arrangements. That's when Ann decided to add real estate services to alleviate stress and enhance her client's experience. It's also how she became known as the Home Transition Agent. Today, Ann helps her mature clients achieve stress-free retirement living by providing in-home care and comprehensive services from health to home. Ann's love for children and dedication to helping families caring for children with chronic health conditions inspired Pediatric Care at Home, a division of Care at Home that provides pediatric nursing care. Ann and her team are dedicated to providing compassionate care to all, from infants to older adults. When Ann isn't busy helping her patients and clients, she volunteers her time at women's shelters and fostering dogs. She and her veteran husband enjoy a simple life in the countryside, where farm animals and country life surround them. Ann also enjoys reading, photography, gardening, and nature walk with their dogs.

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