A Profile of the “Typical Client” of Muskegon Hearing and Speech Center
A TYPICAL CLIENT . . . is a client of any age who is experiencing increasing difficulty understanding what others are saying. They have a need to interact socially with family and friends, but the ability to do so is being threatened by soft voices and by words that are not spoken clearly. Not hearing well causes our client to be often confused when listening to conversation and frustrated when asked a question that is not understood properly.
Our client occasionally gets angry with the inconsiderate speaker who does not speak directly in a firm voice, but rather speaks down or away obscuring the face, which is needed to see in order to understand. Our client also complains that background noises interfere more and more with listening abilities, masking out parts of words and making speech sound garbled. Many troublesome listening experiences are in church where it is hard to make out what the minister is saying, on the telephone with soft spoken callers who must speak up to be heard, or when the family gets together and much of the conversation lost in the noisy hubbub.
Our typical client calls our center for an appointment soon after a particularly frustrating listening experience, usually at the urging of family or friends who have been aware of our client’s problem for a much longer time. They come to us, sometimes alone or sometimes with a son or daughter, but always with the need for a sympathetic ear when the many problems are discussed. The audiologist listens as both our client and the person accompanying them explain what the problem is. The hearing is carefully evaluated and a set of recommendations is fully explained. Recommendations may include seeing an ear specialist or family physician, considering the use of amplification or a series of suggestions on how to reduce the effects of hearing loss on listening experiences. If a hearing aid is indicated, our client is fitted and instructed in its use. Most importantly, the client and family are made to understand that there need be no stigma associated with hearing loss and that many people of all ages wear hearing aids.
Our client is then asked to return in one month to check progress. Each year after the initial contact, a re-evaluation is recommended. Re-instruction is provided on how to use residual hearing in the most effective manner.
