**Glossary**

By means of these scales it is possible to assess how much the situations of difficult listening affect the individual's behavior and emotional response front to these situations. There are

APHAB seeks to assess the hearing disability associated with hearing loss and how it was reduced after using the hearing aid. Therefore, this questionnaire should be applied before

COSI focuses on individual listening difficulties. Before the adaptation, the individual must choose five categories in which I would like to hear well. For evaluation, two scales are used, a relative scale, which assesses the degree of change, and an absolute scale, which records the

It is known that even being subjective, the benefit is influenced by cognitive issues, as with cognitive issue preserved, a more effective use of hearing aid will be made, and also the understanding of the auditory information, as well as the ability to understand speech in noisy environments [48]. In others, research is possible to see that the cognitive can change

The modification in many categories is just possible to be measured after 1 year of the use of hearing aid [48]. After 4 months of use of the hearing aid, it is possible to see a change in the quality of life of the elderly. Nevertheless, bigger modification in other categories is just per‐ ceived after 12 months of the use of this technology [49]. Some research looks for modification in the benefit after this period, like evaluating the benefit after 24 months of use. However, no significant differences have been observed because an acclimatization had occurred [50]. Many researches look for the benefit of the use of hearing aids. All of them show that the elderly have a significant change in their life to return to social activities and trying again new communication activities. In addition, it is possible to see a reduction in the emotional

One study evaluated the handicap (Hearing Handicap Inventory for Elderly, HHIE) before and after 6 months of use of hearing aids. One hundred and fifteen (115) elderly were divided into two groups according to the result of the dichotic digits test (normal or abnormal result). After 6 months there was a significant improvement only in the group with normal dichotic test dig‐ its. The author also states that the differences observed between the groups are not justified by memory issues, attention, or difficulty in fine motor. However, the central auditory processing, which when altered generates negative influence on the process of adaptation in the elderly [52]. Therefore, measuring the benefit is essential for a correct assessment of the hearing aid gains possible, as well as checking how the use of this technology is favoring a new neural network.

In assessing the issue and the hearing status in the elderly, many factors have to be taken into consideration so that appropriate amplification will be proposed and so the elderly make

three possible answers: yes, no, and sometimes.

the use of hearing aid and after adaptation.

122 Advances in Clinical Audiology

individual's final skill listening situations.

with the benefit of hearing aids [49].

problems or social isolation [51].

**6. Final considerations**

actual use of hearing aids and have the proper advantages.


