Rehabilitation for deafened adults: A puzzle with missing pieces

This study explored the psychological and social impact of adventitious deafness, and the rehabilitation services that were offered to individuals who acquired this condition in adulthood. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a sample of eight deafened adults, who were recruited from across Ontario. The results show that medical interventions (e. g., audiometric testing, hearing aid provision, and cochlear implantation) were relied on exclusively as a rehabilitation approach in providing care to deafened people. None of the study participants were offered individual, family, or group counselling by their hearing health service providers. This lack of attention to the socio-emotional needs of the participants occurred despite the obvious negative impact of deafness, including family problems and social isolation and neglect. This gap in service makes it apparent that the rehabilitation system for adventitious deafness needs the involvement of counsellors and social workers to reduce the negative impact on individuals and families