Targeting Functional Fitness, Hearing and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults With Hearing Loss. Walk, Talk and Listen for Your Life, A Randomized Controlled Trial

Hearing loss is associated with functional fitness declines and increased risk for isolation, dementia, depression, falls, hospitalization and premature mortality. No studies have determined the effect of an exercise intervention on these measures in older adults with hearing loss.

After baseline assessment of function fitness and several psychosocial measures, 60 older adults with hearing loss will be randomized into a 10 week exercise, health education, socialization and auditory rehabilitation program or auditory rehabilitation alone. The exercise program consists of 3/4 of an hour strengthening and resistance training followed by 30 minutes of group walking. The educational session content is determined by participants and is interactive and may include such topics as wills and probate, diabetes treatment, healthy exercise etc. The 3/4 of an hour auditory rehabilitation sessions are modified from an online program and will include interactive sessions on education about hearing and hearing devices/technologies, psychosocial support and enhancing communication skills.

At the end of the 10 week intervention the assessments of functional fitness and psychosocial measures will be repeated. The group that was randomized to the auditory rehabilitation alone will then be offered the exercise program.