Care Homes Microsuction Wax Removal

Care UK’s Ground-Breaking Hear Well Project

Many care homes across the country have residents who experience some form of hearing loss or use hearing aids. At Care UK, they identified 1,700 of their residents with these needs. On top of that, many of their residents had not had access to physical or hearing checks since March 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic – something that is common across the care sector. 63.6% of people living in Care UK care homes live with dementia, and of all residents, 20.4% are deaf or wear hearing aids.

When people face hearing problems, they often withdraw from social situations, isolating themselves from friends and family. Social isolation often causes depression, and both are factors for dementia.

Common symptoms or indicators/signs of hearing loss & dementia

Having trouble on the phone
Memory loss
Finding it hard to follow conversation when two or more people are talking
Difficulty concentrating
Ask people to repeat what they are saying
Find it difficult to carry out daily tasks
Think people mumble
Being confused about time and place
Struggle to hear women and children
Mood change
Have a problem hearing people in places with high background noise
Struggling to follow a conversation or to find the right word
Need to turn the TV up

Addressing Residents Needs

After realising the lack of access to ear and hearing healthcare Suzanne Mumford – Care UK’s Head of Nursing Care and Dementia worked with the Queens Nursing Institute and their Community Nursing Innovation Programme to develop the ‘Hear Well’ project.

“We suddenly realised that none of our 9,000 residents had had their ears checked since the pandemic and perhaps for longer than that.”

Suzanne Mumford, Care UK Head of Nursing Care and Dementia

We recognise that it might not be easy for residents of nursing and care homes to attend our clinic. We offer a domiciliary ear wax removal service so we can come to your location. We are regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

Please call to discuss your requirements and book an appointment.

The Results

Evidence from the ‘Hear Well’ project shows an improvement in communication, socialisation, mobilisation, and general wellbeing for residents who had ear wax removal with microsuction. Of residents receiving wax removal, there has been an improvement in hearing and understanding.

Overall, the quality of life of people living with dementia was improved, reducing the need for health appointments and hospital admissions. The judges believe the use of this technology could lead to far-reaching improvements for those in social care.

Benefits to the residents and their loved ones:

Improved hearing resulted in greater social interaction and therefore less social isolation.
Improved hearing and engagement
Fewer distressed and agitated behaviours
Reduction in the use of psychotropic drugs for agitation.
Trips and falls reduced.

It’s clear to see that there is a problem with access to ear and hearing care within the care sector with multiple pressures on resources and time.

The Hear Well Project shows that through innovation and delivering ear and hearing healthcare in the safety and comfort of the care home, residents’ quality of life is improved but more than that care homes reduce outpatient costs associated with referrals and have better communication with residents.

Please call to discuss your requirements and book an appointment.