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Adult Rehabilitation
ACI Alliance provides resources and guidance materials for adult cochlear implant recipients interested in rehabilitation options. The Hearing Journal periodically publishes Patient Handouts on issues many adult cochlear implant recipients face, including hearing in noise, auditory fatigue, using a telephone, and more. 

We also offer several blogs including Naama’s Blog, written by Dr. Naama Tsach, a speech and language therapist (SLT) and an educational audiologist. A Young Adult’s Perspective is written by Miranda Meyers as a college student, and An Octogenarian’s Cochlear Implant Journey chronicles Bruce Sloane's decision to pursue a cochlear implant, the medical and audiological evaluations, the surgery, and the early outcomes.

PATIENT HANDOUTS

Listening in Restaurants

One of the most common concerns reported by adults who are deaf or hard of hearing is communication in noisy environments, with restaurants frequently topping people’s lists of places where they struggle. Restaurants are often loud, with background noise such as dishes clattering, food preparation from the kitchen, the hustle of people being seated and leaving, and often mood music.

Click this resource to read tips on overcoming loud restaurant noise levels.

Tired of Being Tired: Managing Auditory Fatigue

Auditory fatigue presents in many ways. It can be challenges with paying attention. For others, it may be the feeling of being tired or unable to listen any more after a listening effort. Some experience a strong desire to be in a quiet space or away from other people or sounds. Auditory fatigue can happen regardless of age and is experienced by infants, children, adolescents, and adults of all ages.

To read the article click here.

Telephones are Not Just for Texting

The Hearing Journal April 2023, issue included an article about tips on talking on the telephone. Many adults who receive a cochlear implant may not have used a telephone “to talk” in many years. Email is used by nearly everyone. Adults, and especially teens, with typical hearing may rarely talk on a telephone, preferring text messaging. Calling one’s adult child without notice is often met with “What’s wrong?” Young adults are accustomed to being warned via text for what may be viewed as an unwelcome intrusion when their cell phone rings. The pandemic taught all of us that in-person meetings (and telephone interactions) can be replaced by Zoom calls.

To read the article click here.

What is Adult Aural Rehabilitation and Why Pursue It?

The Hearing Journal December 2022, issue included an article about adult aural rehabilitation is a type of therapy that focuses on hearing and communication when a person has hearing loss. Aural rehabilitation for adults promotes improved communication by teaching participants to take charge of their hearing loss.

To read the full article click here

Tips for Using Rehab Apps to Improve Listening Skills with Cochlear Implants

The Hearing Journal July 2022 issue included an article authored by ACI Alliance Executive Director Donna Sorkin: “Tips for Using Rehab Apps to Improve Listening Skills with Cochlear Implants.”

To see the full article click here

Tips for Overcoming the Challenges of Listening in Noise with a Cochlear Implant

The Hearing Journal March 2022 issue included an article authored by ACI Alliance Executive Director Donna Sorkin and Lindsay Zombek MS, LSLS Cert AVT from University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center on guidance to help with listening skills: “Tips for Overcoming the Challenges of Listening In Noise with a Cochlear Implant."

To see the full article click here.

Tips for Cochlear Implant Recipients to Enjoy Music

The Hearing Journal November 2021 issue included an article authored by ACI Alliance Executive Director Donna Sorkin and Charles Limb MD from the Douglas Grant Cochlear Implant Center, University of California San Francisco on guidance to help music skills: “Tips for Cochlear Implant Recipients to Enjoy Music.”

To see the full article click here.

Outcomes with a Cochlear Implant: Tips for Adults

The Hearing Journal July 2021 issue included the first in a series of ACI Alliance authored guidance to help adults build listening skills: “Optimizing Outcomes with a Cochlear Implant: Tips for Adults.”

To see the full article click here.

How to Get the Most Out of Your CI Mapping Appointment

Meeting with your audiologist is an opportunity for you to resolve hearing issues that you find difficult or impossible to resolve. Approach your mapping session as an opportunity to improve your hearing experience in diverse ways by engaging fully with your CI professional, getting their advice, and being updated with relevant information on your technology.

Our Adult Rehab blog is authored by Naama Tsach PhD. Read the full blog article here. 

Click here to download a PDF version of this article.

ACI ALLIANCE BLOGS

  • Adult Cochlear Implant Rehabilitation (Naama's Blog)

    Naama’s Blog is written by Dr. Naama Tsach, a speech and language therapist (SLT) and an educational audiologist. Her blog addresses common issues for adult recipients and focuses on techniques and tips for adult rehabilitation ranging from auditory training, to learning to use the telephone and how to get the most out of mapping appointments.
  • A Young Adult's Perspective

    Miranda Meyers wrote A Young Adults Perspective from 2017-2019 as a college student who was born deaf and received a cochlear implant when she was two years old. Her family followed an auditory-verbal, family-centered approach and Miranda attended mainstream schools. Her perspective is insightful and she is a great example of what is possible when we provide cochlear implants to young children in combination with parent-centered auditory therapy.
  • An Octogenarian’s Cochlear Implant Journey

    Bruce Sloane's blog, An Octogenarian’s CI Journey, details his decision to pursue a cochlear implant, the medical and audiological evaluations, the surgery, and the early outcomes. After hearing aids became less useful to him over time, an accidental meeting with a CI recipient in a supermarket changed his life.

 
The mission of the American Cochlear Implant (ACI) Alliance is to advance access to the gift of hearing provided by cochlear implantation through research, advocacy and awareness.