With increasing longevity and an aging demographic, many older adult clients receiving therapy services will have concurrent changes to their hearing and vision that negatively impact their lives. Occupational therapy practitioners, with their function-based approach, have a key role in helping these clients.
This webinar will explore the interlinking of the visual and auditory systems and how impairment to both systems, known as dual sensory loss, will cause unique challenges to function, quality of life, and well-being for older adults. This webinar will review available screening/assessment tools and discuss immediate and practical interventions that can be used in all practice settings by occupational therapy practitioners. These will include improving hearing aid management, harnessing remaining sensory information through environmental modifications, and integrating sensory redundancy with assistive and adaptive technology.
After taking part in this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Identify the unique role of occupational therapy to address the functional impact of dual sensory loss on clients’ lives.
- Summarize the impact dual sensory loss has on function, emotional well-being, activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and quality of life for an older adult.
- Apply appropriate interventions to support occupation, quality of life, and well-being in older adults with dual sensory loss.
Level
Intermediate (3-5 years of experience in this specific area of practice)