For clinicians and hearing-care partners.
If you care for someone who is hard of hearing, three things make the difference. Clear communication. The right referral. Emotional support.
Communicate clearly
Your patient may not catch everything you say. Face them, and reduce the background noise. Use clear communication strategies. Send them home with plain-language resources.
Refer to the right professional
For a first-time or suspected loss, refer to a clinic where an ENT physician and an audiologist work together, such as The Ottawa Hospital's Audiology department. If they already wear hearing aids and find them less effective, refer them to a Hearing Instrument Practitioner to check the fit and the settings.
Support the whole person
Hearing loss affects identity, relationships, and confidence, not just sound. Point your patient toward support groups and community services, so they can rebuild connection, safety, and independence.
Working with someone who is hard of hearing and want to connect them with peer support? Get in touch. We're glad to help.
Read the full guide · I am a medical practitioner and my client is hard of hearing
If you treat someone with suspected or confirmed hearing loss, the care that works is holistic: the right referrals, and support that carries on afterwards.
Hearing loss is more than a reduction in sound. It reaches a person's sense of identity and control, and it turns up in phone calls, television, meetings, and relationships. Hearing aids improve what someone hears. They do not touch the emotional, social, and psychological side, and that is usually where the help is needed most.
There are several important steps you can take to support your patient and guide them toward better outcomes:
Establish effective communication
Determine how best to communicate with your patient. Keep in mind that they may not fully understand everything you say. Use clear communication strategies, and refer to available resources that provide practical tips for interacting with individuals who are hard of hearing.
Provide appropriate referrals
Refer your patient to qualified professionals who can accurately diagnose the type and severity of hearing loss, provide a prognosis, and recommend appropriate interventions.
- If this is a first-time diagnosis or suspected hearing loss, refer the patient to a clinic where specialists such as an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) physician and an audiologist collaborate.
- If the patient already uses hearing aids but reports reduced effectiveness or difficulty adjusting, refer them to a Hearing Instrument Practitioner. They can assess whether the device is functioning optimally or if an adjustment or replacement is needed.
Address social and emotional well-being
Ensure your patient receives the social and emotional support they need. This step is often overlooked but is critical. Humans are inherently social, and barriers to communication can lead to isolation, frustration, and reduced quality of life.
Encourage participation in support groups and community services for individuals with hearing loss. These resources can help patients rebuild confidence, regain a sense of self-worth, and access tools and technologies that support safety, independence, and full participation in work and social environments.
Resources
- Association of Hearing Instrument Practitioners (Ontario)
- Understanding who does what (PDF)
- College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario
- What resources are available?
- Canadian Hearing Services: physician referrals
- CHHA National
- FICS: Fostering Inclusive Communication for Seniors
- Tips for communicating with a patient with hearing loss
- Managing progress, hearing aids and support
- CHHA-NCR Branch