First Advisor

Deanna K. Meinke

First Committee Member

Diane Erdbruegger

Second Committee Member

Jennifer Weber

Degree Name

Doctor of Audiology

Document Type

Scholarly Project

Date Created

4-2024

Department

College of Natural and Health Sciences, Communication Sciences and Disorders, CSD Student Work

Abstract

Dementia is a progressive, debilitating cognitive disorder recognized as one of the greatest challenges to global health in the 21st century. In recent years, dementia has gained significant importance in the international health agenda due to the increasing aging population, longer life expectancies, and the substantial socioeconomic burden. Global concern has led to increased efforts to understand, manage, and alleviate its impact. Considering the lack of curative treatments, dementia research and awareness campaigns have intensified with a focus on early detection, prevention strategies, and collaborative healthcare. Prevention has focused on identifying risk factors and modifiable aspects of lifestyle closely linked to dementia, such as hearing loss. Given the well-established and growing evidence supporting that hearing loss increases the risk of dementia, audiologists stand to play a critical role in prevention and management strategies.

The purpose of this project is to identify dementia prevention and management strategies with practical implementation recommendations for audiologists working with this high-risk population. Early identification is critical to timely, effective dementia intervention. Audiologists are among some of the first healthcare professionals that engage with patients at risk for cognitive decline highlighting the importance of their role in contributing to early detection and management of dementia. Implementing cognitive screening tools within routine clinical protocol can be a significant step toward achieving this goal. It is paramount that audiologists are well-equipped with the right tools, knowledge, and skills to contribute to early identification and collaborative care for individuals at risk for dementia.

Abstract Format

html

Disciplines

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Extent

147 pages

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

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