I was sitting in a darkened theatre in Toronto, watching a speaker I had been excited to hear for months. My hearing aid was perfectly fitted. I could hear sounds. But I could not understand a single word. The acoustics were terrible. The speaker paced while talking. There was no captioning, no visual access to the words being spoken....
No actionable change to clinical protocols is required, but audiologists may reflect on expanding their advocacy role beyond device fitting to address broader environmental and communication barriers.
This perspective challenges the audiology field to adopt a wider definition of its professional responsibility, moving from device-centric care toward communication ecosystem advocacy.
- 01Hearing aids alone are argued to be insufficient for full communication inclusion.
- 02Audiologists are positioned as essential partners in addressing environmental and acoustic barriers.
- 03The article is a first-person advocacy piece, not a research or clinical report.
- 04Raises questions about the scope of audiology practice beyond device fitting.
- 05Relevant to discussions of patient-centered and inclusive care models.
Hearing aids alone are insufficient for achieving communication inclusion for people with hearing loss.
opinionpartially supportedAudiologists must address broader acoustic and environmental barriers, not just fit hearing devices.
opinionunclear
