But why has this service been given a name that the public does not understand, nor do some audiologists? Isn't there a better name that would be more descriptive of this important part of hearing care? THE SURVEY But all aspects of audiology require one or another form of counseling that is still considered aural rehabilitation. Many audiologists prefer dealing with the diagnostic aspects of the profession, while others prefer the tangible aspects of providing amplification devices. I feel that this is the future of our field-the close personal involvement and counseling of patients by audiologists.
Audiologists are already expressing fear about the future of the field. However, such service is critical if audiologists are to provide comprehensive care for patients.
#Aural rehabilitation speech therapy professional
Further more, most audiologists are not professional counselors, and some shy away from the close personal involvement required for aural rehabilitative services. Helping patients deal with the emotional impact of impaired hearing-their frustrations and fears for their future-is a difficult task. Aural rehabilitation was the basis for serving veterans returning from military service who sustained hearing impairment from a concussion or noise exposure. Programs of the Veterans Administration Hospital provided at least one of the birthplaces of audiology during WW2. It was felt that as procedures for providing aural rehabilitative services became more sophisticated, along with the increased emphasis on the need for professional involvement in the fitting and dispensing of hearing aids and other amplification devices, the professional prominence of the rehabilitative aspects of audiology would grow and expand. The Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology was founded in 1966 to strengthen the professional stature of the service that had traditionally been called aural rehabilitation. I once saw a bumper sticker on the back of a car recently that posed the question, “What is an Audiologist?” and I nearly drove off the road! THE DEBATE Some have asked, “What is an aural, and why does it need to be rehabilitated?” In fact, if we conduct a sidewalk survey of the service we call audiology, we would probably receive several equally blank stares. But when my students and I conducted airport surveys of the term “aural rehabilitation,” we typically received a blank look or an unsure answer.
If a layperson is asked what services a physical therapist or a dental hygienist provides, he or she would probably give a fairly accurate response. Aural rehabilitation, hearing health, counseling
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