Maximizing Benefit from Hearing Technologies for Persons with Early Stage Alzheimer’s Disease Year One

There is a strong connection between hearing loss and cognitive impairment, particularly dementia, in old age. The number of Canadians with dementia is expected to reach 9% of adults over the age of 60 by 2038. With these large numbers and limited health resources, caregiving will increasingly fall upon family and friends. Caregiving for persons with

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common form of dementia, is frequently associated with elevated levels of emotional and physical distress. Concomitant hearing and cognitive loss in care recipients may lead to even higher levels of caregiver burden. To alleviate this burden, this project will provide hearing aids to AD patients and a communication intervention will be created and administered to patients and their caregivers in an attempt to improve communication functioning in both target groups. The proposed research project will enable the industry partner to extend provision of hearing aids to this vulnerable population.

Faculty Supervisor:

Kathleen Pichora-Fuller

Student:

Partner:

Unitron Hearing

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

University of Toronto

Program: