The role of care partners in medical visits of older adults with hearing loss and dementia: A national study
- 30 November 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
- Vol. 71 (3), 909-915
- https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.18151
Abstract
Background: Dementia and hearing loss (HL) are conditions, which restrict communication ability and amplify the difficulty of implementing effective care coordination and communication with medical providers. We examined how the presence of HL and dementia influence communication with medical providers, and the role of involved care partners during medical visits. Methods: Drawing on responses from 7070 community-dwelling older adults who participated in the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study, we used logistic regression to quantify care partner accompaniment to medical visits and the role care partners assume during visits by older adult hearing and dementia status. Results: Nearly 4 in 10 older adults with dementia also reported HL. Eighty-two percent of older adults with both HL and dementia were accompanied to medical visits by a care partner. Those with HL and dementia were six times more likely to be accompanied by a care partner to medical visits than those with neither condition (OR: 6.04; 95% CI:4.06, 8.99). Care partners of older adults with both (vs neither) HL and dementia were more actively engaged in: (1) facilitating understanding between the older adult and doctor (OR: 4.55, 95% CI:2.68, 7.71); (2) asking or telling the doctor information (OR: 6.13, 95% CI:3.44, 10.9); and (3) reminding the older adult of their questions (OR: 2.52, 95% CI: 1.66, 3.83). Conclusions: Care partners have an active role during medical visits of older adults with HL and dementia. Efforts to support care partner engagement and teach advocacy skills may close gaps in care quality for the subgroup of older adults who are living with HL and dementia.Funding Information
- National Institute on Aging (K01AG054693, K23AG065443, P30AG012846, P30AG066587, R01AG054004, T32AG066576)
This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
- Systems Delivery Innovation for Alzheimer DiseaseAmerican Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2018
- Family Caregivers of Older Adults, 1999–2015: Trends in Characteristics, Circumstances, and Role-Related AppraisalThe Gerontologist, 2017
- Studies of Physician‐Patient Communication with Older Patients: How Often is Hearing Loss Considered? A Systematic Literature ReviewJournal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2017
- Communication Partner Involvement in Auditory Rehabilitation: It's Time to Include Adult ChildrenPerspectives of the Asha Special Interest Groups, 2017
- Families Caring for an Aging AmericaPublished by The National Academies Press ,2016
- Examining the context and helpfulness of family companion contributions to older adults’ primary care visitsPatient Education and Counseling, 2016
- The Disproportionate Impact Of Dementia On Family And Unpaid Caregiving To Older AdultsHealth Affairs, 2015
- The role of communication partners in the audiological enablement/rehabilitation of a person with hearing impairment: an overviewAudiological Medicine, 2012
- Family presence in routine medical visits: A meta-analytical reviewSocial Science & Medicine (1982), 2011
- Discussing dementia-related behaviors during medical visits for people with Alzheimer's disease.American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias®, 2010