Home Hearing Health Checks for Meals on Wheels Clients

Hearing health checks for consenting Meals on Wheels Clients will be conducted by Master of Clinical Audiology students together with Meals on Wheels volunteers in clients' homes. This hearing health check will be scheduled as a new visit, separate from the services that Meals on Wheels clients usually receive. The hearing health check will take approximately 30 minutes. The hearing health check includes the otoscopic examination of the ear using the Arclight device and a hearing screening assessment using the Sound Scouts iPad application, which will be conducted by the Audiology student and supported by the volunteer. Results will be explained and further follow-up with GP and/or audiologist will be recommended as required. Brief educational messages will be delivered by the student and volunteer including the importance of addressing hearing loss; and impacts of untreated hearing loss on quality of life, social life, and cognitive function. The students and/or volunteers will complete a checklist to ensure all intervention procedures have been completed. Audiology students will receive a 1-hour training session to familiarise themselves with the equipment used and research study procedures. Meals on Wheels Volunteers will attend a 3-hour training session. The training session will be delivered by research study staff and will occur within 3 weeks of the program being rolled out at the Meals on Wheels site. The training will cover: 1. General education about hearing health 2. Overview of the hearing health assessment using the Sound Scouts app and Arclight device 3. Overview of the hearing assessment feedback given to clients 4. Overview of the client hearing health education 5. Administrative procedures that volunteers need to follow to deliver the SOUND-BITES program.