Wellbeing
through the main door rather than using a separate side door. For the first time the guidelines address in detail the needs of people with hearing loss and offer specific examples of how care homes and other premises can meet them. Central to this is the use of hearing loops.
A sound investment
While meeting standards of best practice is no doubt what every care home owner and manager would like to achieve, in an industry that is facing considerable financial challenges there will be questions about the business case for doing so. The NHS Action Plan on Hearing Loss 2015 estimates that by 2032 there will be 620,000 older people living in care homes in England alone.3
Of these,
almost half a million are expected to have some form of hearing loss and will need support to maximise their independence and wellbeing.
The NHS dispenses more than one million hearing aids every year and this number is set to rise. Having assistive listening technology installed could be a deciding factor for a potential new resident weighing up two or more homes. It suggests an awareness of and a commitment to inclusivity and also offers a future proofed living environment whether they have a hearing impairment or develop one in later life.
The decision also has an impact on families, visiting professionals and members of the community. Hearing loops can make communication about a loved one much easier and more dignified as there isn’t the need for repetition or admitting to having misheard. If there is good signage to let people know that loops are provided, then those who don’t want to share their inability to hear don’t need to. It is important that staff are aware that loops are there and are trained to use them. Regular maintenance is also important as users may assume it’s their hearing that’s at fault so providers need to be proactive and not rely on complaints to determine if a loop is working. Care home owners would never
A hearing loop cable being installed beneath carpet tiles
A hearing loop being laid beneath carpet tiles
countenance designing an environment without grab rails, wheelchair accessible doorways or staff who are trained in dementia care. Given the prevalence of hearing loss among the care home population, residential settings must give it prominence alongside these impairments and meet the needs of those who cannot hear.
References 1. The Stationery Office. The Equality Act. HMSO, 2010.
2. British Standards Institute. (2018) BS 8300: Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment. Buildings. Code of practice.
3. Department of Health, NHS England. (2015) Action Plan on Hearing Loss.
[
www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/ 2015/03/act-plan-hearing-loss-upd.pdf].
The Equality Act 2010 states that everyone should be treated equally and requires service providers to “make changes, where needed, toimprove services for disabled customers or potential customers”
46 Andrew Thomas
Andrew Thomas is the market development director of Contacta Systems Ltd, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of hearing loop technologies. He has more than 30 years’ experience in the sector. He is chair of the International Hearing Loop Manufacturers Association (IHLMA) and a member of the British Standards committee for the revision of BS 8300.
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com • January 2019
TCHE
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