Rehab at Home for Adults: Mastering Everyday Listening Goals

The last couple of years have seen us all spending more time at home than ever before. If you’re an adult or adolescent who has received a cochlear implant during that time, it might have been difficult for you to access professional rehab support.

However, studies show that participating in auditory rehabilitation activities can improve not only listening and cognitive skills but also how positive a person feels about their quality of life. To help you reach your listening potential from your own house, we’ve developed our Rehab at Home for Adults video series.

Introducing the Rehab at Home for Adults Series

Over the series, you’ll meet four people who made decisions to get cochlear implants as adults. You’ll hear about their experiences and learn how they work towards achieving 12 everyday listening goals with the help of friends and family members.

Each video is introduced by Rebecca Claridge, one of MED-EL’s experienced rehabilitation managers. Rebecca also shares additional tips and resources to help you achieve your listening goals. Whether you’re new to listening with your cochlear implant, preparing for a cochlear implant, or have had your CI implant for years, the Rehab at Home for Adults series will help your refresh or boost your listening skills.

Episode 1: The Ling Six Sound Test

The series begins with the Ling Sound Check (or Ling Six Sound Test). The Ling Six Sound Test is a great way for all individuals who use hearing technology to check that their device(s) are providing access to all the sounds of speech. This is the foundation you need to progress through the 12 everyday listening goals.

In this episode of Rehab At Home for Adults, John and his wife Donna complete the Ling Sound Check. John has used his MED-EL cochlear implant for 7 months. He decided to get a cochlear implant when his hearing had deteriorated to the point that it was impacting his ability to work in the music industry. You can read more about his story in this blog post.

John doesn’t just star in the Rehab at Home series; he also played a key role behind the scenes. In collaboration with Rebecca Claridge, John directed and edited the video series producing not only professional-quality videos, but also ensuring that the series met the needs of adult cochlear implant recipients like himself. This video series truly was made by hearing implant recipients, for hearing implant recipients.

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Doing the Ling Sound Test

Initially, you may only hear (detect) and not understand the sounds. Understanding (identification) of the specific sounds will develop over time, as your hearing professional works with you to customize your hearing implant(s)’ programs and with listening experience.

If you are still having trouble identifying the Ling sounds after several months of implant use, or if you experience any changes in your ability to identify the Ling sounds, talk to your hearing professional.

Here’s how you can do the Ling Sound Check at home;

• Ask a family member or friend to say the Ling sounds.
• Look away so you can’t lip-read.
• Ask your family member to say each sound individually and in no particular order.
• Use a normal speaking voice and volume. You could also download a sound level meter app on your smartphone to check the volume of your voice when you make the sounds. A normal conversational level is around 65dB SPL.
• Sit or stand approximately two metres from each other.
• Download Ling cards to help you do this test at home

Coming Soon: 12 Everyday Listening Goals

The next videos in this series explore 12 everyday listening goals. Each goal builds on the skills developed in the goal before so it is a good idea to start at the beginning and work your way through.

Here is a quick overview of the goals covered by Rehab at Home;

Goal 1: To Wear My Audio Processor(s) Every Day
See what John did to reach the goal of wearing his audio processor all waking hours.

Goal 2: To Improve Awareness of Environmental Sounds for Safety and Enjoyment
Meet Trudi and listen to her recall how she learned to identify new sounds in her environment.

Goal 3: To Understand Conversation With One or Two People in Quiet
Watch an activity Trudi does with her husband and daughter to help her improve her understanding of speech.

Goal 4: To Over-Hear Conversation
Meet Soomaiya and her three daughters and learn the benefits of practicing over-hearing others in conversation.

Goal 5: To Understand Conversation in Small Groups
Meet Mary-Jane and see how using audiobooks for auditory training can prepare you for conversations in a small group.

Goal 6: To Understand Conversation While Out in Social Situations
Hear from Mary-Jane as she shares her tips to improve her understanding of conversations when she is out and about.

Goal 7: To Understand Conversation While in the Car
Watch an activity with Soomaiya and one of her daughters as they prepare for conversations in the car.

Goal 8: To Understand Speech When the Speaker is Far Away
Mary-Jane’s husband Nick shares strategies you and your family can use to improve understanding when the speaker is far away.

Goal 9: To Understand Conversation on the Phone
John shares what he does to improve phone calls and he and Donna demonstrate an activity you can practice when first starting on the phone.

Goal 10: To Hear TV More Clearly at a Volume That Is Comfortable for Everyone.
John and Donna describe how John’s TV viewing has improved and what he has done to progress towards watching TV at a comfortable volume for all.

Goal 11: To Enhance the Enjoyment of Music
Trudi loves listening to music with her cochlear implant. Learn how she has built her skills and shares her love of music with her family.

Goal 12: To Understand Speech in Situations Involving Lots of Complex Information
Soomaiya shares her strategies for understanding speech in her online classes and demonstrates an auditory training activity called Speech Tracking.

Looking for rehab tips? Get some inspiration on our main Tips and Tricks page.

Read why John chose a MED-EL cochlear implant.