Translational Research II - The Killion LectureUnderstanding Individual Variability Among Older Adults with Hearing Loss James Jerger once wrote that Mead Killion “is that rare individual who constantly questions why things are done the way they are and wonders if there might not be a better way.” In that spirit, this lecture connects the way hearing aids are currently fit to whether there might be a better way. Hearing aids are the most widely used treatment option for older adults with hearing loss. Advancements in hearing aid design have increased the number and complexity of signal processing features that can be manipulated during a fitting, challenging the conventional approach of fitting to pure-tone thresholds. Finding optimal settings for each individual requires that we understand the relationship between listener abilities and the acoustic effects of signal processing. This talk reviews a decade of work on how the abilities of the listener--including hearing loss, age, and working memory--influence hearing aid outcomes and communication, especially in noise; and how that research evidence translates to clinical fittings. The overall goal of this work is to better understand individual variability among older adult listeners in order to inform individualized hearing treatment.
Pamela Souza received her bachelor’s degree in Communication Disorders from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, followed by masters and PhD degrees in Audiology from Syracuse University. She is a professor in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Northwestern University. with faculty appointments in Linguistics and Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. Souza’s research interests include speech recognition, hearing aids, and the effects of aging and cognitive change on communication. She has published over 100 scientific papers and book chapters in those areas. A recurring theme in her scientific work is understanding individual auditory and cognitive abilities in order to customize hearing treatment. Dr. Souza is a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America, and a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She is an Associate Editor for the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America and previously served as Section Editor for Ear and Hearing, Associate Editor for the Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, and Associate Editor for Trends in Amplification. She is a licensed audiologist with clinical interests in hearing aids, severe hearing loss, hearing assistive technology, tinnitus management, and patient education. Her research is motivated by her patients, and by personal experiences with hearing loss and dementia within her own family.
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