Dificuldades e benefícios com o uso de prótese auditiva: percepção do idoso e sua família

PURPOSE: To characterize the perception of the elderly and their relatives regarding difficulties and benefits experienced during the initial adaptation process to the use of hearing aids.  METHODS: The sample comprised 31 elderly subjects with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss varying in degree from mild to moderately severe, at the beginning of the adaptation process to the use of hearing aids. The subjects and their relatives answered specific questionnaires, with questions regarding the benefits and difficulties experienced with the use of amplification. RESULTS: Regarding the difficulties, it was verified that there was statistically significant agreement between the answer of the patient and his relative only for the option "talk in noisy environment". Regarding the benefits, no agreement was found for any of the answer options. CONCLUSIONS: There was no agreement between the elderly perception and that of their relatives regarding difficulties and benefits with the use of hearing aids, in the initial phase of the adaptation process. Hence, an adequate orientation is necessary both for the user of the hearing aids and the relatives that will be able to help the elderly in this process.