As a part of the RERC TechSAge (Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technologies to Support Aging-in-Place for People with Long-Term Disabilities), funded by the U.S. government, we are conducting an interview study that explores the everyday activities and challenges of older adults who are late-deafened.
The study consists of two parts: 1) questionnaires (30-45 minutes) and 2) an interview (1 hour to 1.5 hours). You can complete the interview remotely via phone call or video call. Participants will be compensated $45 in Amazon e-codes.
Participants in this study must:
- Be between the ages of 60-80
- Have a diagnosis hearing loss in both ears by a medical professional for at least 10 years that meets the following criteria:
- Occurred after development of speech and language
- Severe OR Profound (>70 decibels)
- Severe: Without amplification (e.g., hearing aid or cochlear implant), you hear no speech when a person is talking at a normal level and hear some loud sounds.
- Profound: Without amplification (e.g., hearing aid or cochlear implant), you do not hear any speech and hear only very loud sounds.
- Have serious difficulty hearing (even with the use of a hearing aid)
- Have hearing difficulties that affects your communication and daily activities
- Be able to communicate in spoken English via phone or Zoom video (with captions)
- Live in the United States
If you are interested in participating, contact:
Megan Bayles, M.S.
Phone: (217) 265-0150 (voice call)
Email: mbayles2@illinois.edu