In care homes, more than 65% of residents face hearing difficulties. For many families, the situation is all too familiar: a relative who can no longer tolerate their hearing aids, keeps losing them, or simply refuses to wear them. This hearing loss, mainly linked to age-related presbycusis, leads to misunderstandings, social isolation for the resident, and frustration for caregivers and visitors alike. What concrete solutions exist when conventional hearing aids no longer work, and how can genuine daily communication be restored?
The consequences of hearing loss in care homes
Social isolation and cognitive decline
Faced with hearing loss, care home residents find it increasingly hard to follow everyday conversations. This causes anxiety and a loss of self-confidence, gradually pushing them to withdraw from social interaction.
This isolation has particularly damaging effects. It accelerates cognitive and emotional decline: memory loss, depressive states, and a general drop in quality of life. Scientific studies, notably those published in The Lancet (2020), show a direct link between untreated hearing loss and worsening cognitive decline in older adults. Hearing loss is in fact the leading modifiable risk factor for dementia, accounting for 9% of preventable cases.
This link between hearing and cognition is covered in a dedicated article: hearing loss and Alzheimer's disease.
Impact on caregivers and families
For caregivers and families, hearing loss is a major drain on time. Having to repeat instructions constantly creates fatigue and frustration. 90% of caregivers say that poor communication lengthens care time and damages their relationship with residents.
For healthcare professionals, hearing loss also means an increased risk of errors when conveying crucial medical information (diagnoses, dosages). These communication difficulties can compromise care safety and the patient's informed consent.
The cost for the facility
The time caregivers lose trying to make themselves understood represents a productivity loss estimated at €25,000 per year per facility. Repeating instructions forces teams to significantly increase the time spent with each resident, lengthening care and directly affecting staff quality of working life.
Do you manage a facility?
Every repetition, every misunderstanding during care has a cost, in time and in quality of relationship. A simple tool helps you estimate what communication difficulties represent in your facility, and what an appropriate solution could change.
What hearing solutions exist for care home residents?
Conventional hearing aids
Hearing aids are the reference solution for treating hearing loss. Several types are available depending on the degree of loss:
Behind-the-ear devices (BTE) sit behind the ear and suit severe to profound hearing loss. Their size makes them easier to handle, an advantage for people with reduced fine motor skills.
Receiver-in-canal devices (RIC), more discreet, are aimed at mild to moderate hearing loss. They offer excellent acoustic comfort but require a degree of dexterity for daily handling.
In-the-ear devices (ITE), placed directly in the ear canal, mainly suit mild hearing loss. Their small size makes them less suitable for residents with dexterity or vision difficulties.
The challenges of fitting hearing aids in care homes
Despite their theoretical effectiveness, hearing aids remain underused in care homes. The figures speak for themselves:
- Only 19% of older adults use hearing aids
- 79% of caregivers have received no training in managing them
Access to hearing care is complex for dependent people: a prior ENT diagnosis, regular follow-up with an audiologist, daily maintenance and cleaning. As a result, many residents with hearing loss have no suitable solution.
Why a device that's perfect on paper fails in practice
In a facility, the real question is not "which device is best" but "which device will actually be used every day". Loss of autonomy (reduced dexterity, arthritis, tremors, fatigue) and cognitive disorders (forgetfulness, confusion, resistance) make daily handling difficult: inserting tips, cleaning, changing batteries, charging, telling left from right.
One very concrete factor explains a large share of abandonment: loss and left-right mix-ups. Between changing clothes, care routines, movements and the many people involved, a device can be left on a meal tray, slip into bedding, or be put back on the wrong side. This is no small matter: it's often what sends an expensive hearing aid into a drawer.
A few simple markers limit these failures: a single, consistent storage spot, a visual left/right marker (colour dot, discreet label), and a quick check at a fixed time (present? charged? used at the right moment?).
The 30-second rule for care teams
A hearing solution is only valuable if staff can adopt it without friction. The routines that last are those that take 30 seconds: check the device is there, charged, and used when it matters. If the protocol is too long or too technical, it is followed for a week, then fades.
In cases of refusal or agitation, the goal is not to force permanent wear. It is to secure the exchanges that matter: favour short moments, calm the environment, face the resident, and aim for effectiveness on a specific exchange (care, an explanation, a visit) rather than all-day wear. This is exactly where a conversation aid, in which the speaker wears the microphone, makes the difference: responsibility for clarity shifts from the resident to the person speaking.
When it's a relative at home refusing their hearing aids, the levers are slightly different: our guide for caregivers details the possible approaches.
Adapting the environment and practices
Alongside technological solutions, improving the sound environment is essential. Reducing noise pollution in shared spaces creates better conditions for understanding.
Training professionals is an important lever: speaking more slowly with clear articulation supports lip-reading. Visual aids (written notes, pictograms) can also reinforce understanding.
Listening assistants: a solution suited to care homes
Listening assistants are a simple, effective alternative for residents who struggle with conventional hearing aids. These devices improve sound perception without the constraints of traditional fitting.
The Spokeo listening assistant stands out with its patented air-and-bone bi-conduction technology, designed specifically for healthcare facilities. This solution offers several decisive advantages:
- Immediate ease of use: no installation, quick setup
- Simplified maintenance: no complex upkeep or personalised settings
- Focus on speech: the directional Smart Mic isolates the voice from background noise
- Optimal comfort: patented ergonomic design for extended wear without discomfort
- Shared use: can be shared between residents with simple disinfection
Spokeo lets facilities significantly improve communication with residents who often ask people to repeat themselves, while reducing the workload tied to managing conventional hearing aids.
Equipping a facility
For care homes and healthcare facilities, an offer designed for shared use between residents, with centralised storage and simple disinfection between each use.
How to equip a resident, step by step
Setting up a hearing solution in a care home benefits from a structured path, whatever solution is chosen:
- Screening on arrival (and regular checks thereafter) to spot difficulties early.
- ENT consultation and audiometry to establish the audiogram and rule out a treatable cause (earwax plug, infection).
- Joint decision between the resident where possible, the family, the referring staff and the audiologist: handling ability, real needs, budget.
- Trial and adaptation, with close support to encourage acceptance.
- Regular follow-up: adjustments, maintenance, and integration into the team's routines.
For a conversation aid, the key step is not medical but organisational: decide who wears the microphone, when to use it, where to store it and who charges it. A simple protocol is enough to prevent forgetting and abandonment.
How to fund a hearing solution in a care home?
Several mechanisms can fund the purchase of Spokeo in a facility:
Care budget: the global care funding from the French health insurance system can cover Spokeo, as it improves the quality and safety of care.
Non-renewable credits (CNR) from the regional health agency (ARS): one-off funding for investment, modernisation or innovation projects.
Territorial Accessibility Fund (FTA): funds up to 50% of equipment that improves accessibility (€20,000 ceiling).
Contact us for tailored support on the funding best suited to your facility.
Involving families and caregivers
Families and caregivers play a crucial role in supporting people with hearing loss. 65% of families admit feeling frustrated during visits because of communication difficulties with their relative.
This difficulty grows with dependency: we explain why in our article on hearing aids and dependent people.
Raising their awareness of appropriate communication methods and introducing them to modern hearing solutions is essential to maintaining a good social bond. Spokeo can be used during visits to rediscover moments of closeness with residents.
Key takeaways
Hearing loss should no longer be an obstacle to communication in care homes. Adapting practices, combined with staff awareness and the adoption of technological innovations, significantly improves residents' quality of life and the effectiveness of care teams.
Spokeo, winner of the 2025 International Concours Lépine, fits fully into this dynamic by offering an intuitive, effective solution to restore smooth communication in care homes, without the constraints of conventional hearing aids.
FAQ: Hearing solutions in care homes
What can you do when a resident won't tolerate their hearing aids?
Don't force permanent wear. It's better to secure the exchanges that matter (care, meals, visits) with a simple solution: face the resident, reduce noise, and favour a conversation aid where the speaker wears the microphone. Clarity then no longer depends on the resident handling a device.
What hearing solutions exist for care home residents?
Three types of solutions exist: conventional hearing aids (behind-the-ear, in-the-ear), magnetic induction loops for shared spaces, and listening assistants like Spokeo that offer a simple alternative without a complex medical pathway, ideal for facilities.
Does Spokeo replace a hearing aid?
No, Spokeo is not a medical device. It's a listening assistant designed to improve understanding in everyday situations (care, meals, visits), particularly for people who don't wear a hearing aid or struggle with one.
How does Spokeo work in a care home?
The caregiver, relative or doctor wears the Smart Mic (clipped to the collar). The resident wears the Sound Boost headset. The speaker's voice is transmitted directly and clearly thanks to bi-conduction technology, filtering out background noise.
How can Spokeo be funded in a care home?
Spokeo can be funded through the facility's care budget, the regional health agency's non-renewable credits (CNR), or the Territorial Accessibility Fund (FTA), which covers up to 50% of accessibility equipment.
Can Spokeo be shared between several residents?
Yes, Spokeo is designed for shared use in facilities. The headset and microphone are easily cleaned with disinfectant wipes between uses. The Facility Pack includes 5 units and a stand to centralise storage.
Do you need a prescription to buy Spokeo?
No, Spokeo is a listening assistant available without a prescription or medical pathway. It can be ordered directly on myspokeo.com or from authorised distributors.
