MNAMNAMosbyMosby’’s Long Term Care Assistants Long Term Care Assistant Chapter 37 Hearing, Vision and Speech Chapter 37 Hearing, Vision and Speech

ProblemsProblems

Hearing, Vision, Hearing, Vision, SpeechSpeechImportant for:

• Communication

• Self care

• Work

• Safety and Security

• Most activities

Common Causes of Common Causes of LossLossBirth defects

Accidents

Infections

Diseases

Aging

Ear DisordersEar Disorders

Otitis Media

Tinnitus

Infection of middle ear

Treated with antibiotics

Ringing, throbbing, roaring sound in ears

Ear DisordersEar Disorders

Meiner’s Disease

Vertigo

Disease of the inner ear.

Causes dizziness, hearing loss, pain or pressure, tinnitus.

Dizziness. Will need to lie down

Ear Ear DisordersDisordersHearing Loss

Cerumen

Mild to severe.

Occurs in all age groups

Many causes

Ear wax

Common Causes:Damage to ear

Damage to auditory nerve

Exposure to loud noises

Drugs

Infections

Heart disease or diabetes

Stroke

Head injuries

Tumors

Heredity

Birth defects

Hearing LossHearing Loss

May wear hearing aids

Follow manufacture's directions for cleaning

Make sounds louder

Battery operated

Expensive

If hearing does not seem to be working: check to be sure it is turned on first

Speech DisordersSpeech Disorders

Aphasia

Inability to use or understand language

Care of the Resident with Hearing and Care of the Resident with Hearing and Speech DisordersSpeech Disorders

Write down key words

Use simple words and short sentences

Keep conversations short

State topic of conversation first

Do not shout

Vision LossVision Loss

May effect one or both eyes

May have gradual or sudden onset

Can occur at any age

Eye DisordersEye Disorders

GlaucomaFluid in eye unable to drain

Build up damages optic nerve

Eventual blindness

No cure

Eye DisordersEye Disorders

Cataracts

Clouding of the lens

Usually caused by aging

Treated with surgery

Eye DisordersEye DisordersAge Related Macular Degeneration

AMD

Blurs central vision

Blind spot in center of vision

Gradual onset

Eye DisordersEye DisordersDiabetic Retinopathy

Blood vessels in retina are damaged

Blindness

Eye DisordersEye DisordersLow Vision

Cannot be corrected with glasses, contacts, surgery, drugs.

Diabetics at great risk

Eye DisordersEye Disorders

BlindnessLegally blind person may still have some vision

Many blind people learn to read Braille

May use white cane with red tip

May have a guide dog

Eye DisordersEye DisordersBlindness

Do not change furniture arrangement.

Keep drawers closed, doors open

Keep hallways and walk ways free of clutter

Explain location of food using the face of a clock

Keep signal lite w/in reach

Identify self when entering room and leaving room

Assist as needed while letting person perform self care as able

12:00

5:00

9:00

Eye DisordersEye Disorders

Blindness

Braille

Touch reading and writing system using raised dots for each letter of the alphabet.

Eye DisordersEye Disorders

Ocular prosthesis

Artificial eye

Expensive: Be careful!

Eye DisordersEye Disorders

Ocular prosthesis

If removable, must be removed, cleaned and reinserted.

Care of eye socket includes: washing with warm water or saline

Eye GlassesEye Glasses

Clean daily and prn

Clean glass lens with warm water

Clean plastic lens with special solution and cloth

Store in top drawer of bedside cabinet when not worn