KDH Research & Communication, Inc. — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: NIDCD

Description

In this Phase I proposal resubmission KDH Research andamp Communication KDHRC proposes to develop and evaluate the Online Resource Center for Older Adults with Cochlear Implants RCCI RCCI will be an innovative web based resource center for older adults aged with cochlear implants CIs and their family members for age related hearing loss RCCI will provide high quality information and practical skills building resources to prepare and provide on going support for older adults to optimally benefit from their CIs Challenges in real world settings can lead CI users to avoid social situations or stop using their CIs Experts routinely note a need for more comprehensive on going supports and although older adults with CIs want and need support they face numerous barriers including time financial and locational constraints to access postimplantation support services In person support services may be intermittent or lacking due to limited therapist availability in remote or rural locations and inadequate insurance among poor minority and inner city populations Even for insured older adults insurance for postimplantation support services may only cover only weekly sessions for months or a set number of sessions e g Thus there is a substantial and growing need for alternative sources of ongoing postimplantation support for older adults that are low cost widely available and evidence based This unmet need presents a tremendous opportunity for easily accessed web based services like RCCI which is well positioned to overcome the many challenges to delivering services in person RCCI targets older adults to increase their knowledge self efficacy and skills to maintain their CIs improve their communication strategies manage challenging physical and social hearing environments and develop self advocacy skills When finished RCCI will consist of a website with static and interactive content providing easy to use shareable resources for older adults and their family members In Phase I we will develop and test RCCI s prototype a website characterized by full static content and limited interactivity At the end of this project we will have a functioning prototype and feasibility data which will test the extent which exposure to RCCI leads to significant and positive changes among older adults in knowledge attitudes self efficacy and intentions to optimally benefit from their CIs in comparison to a control and exposure to RCCI leads to significant and positive changes among family members in knowledge self efficacy and intentions to support older adults with CIs comparison to a control The information gained through the RCCI evaluation will contribute to a field lacking evidence based non clinical interventions to support older adults to optimally use and benefit from their CIs Further RCCI will contribute to the literature on web based health interventions for older adults ongoing education programs for older adults with CIs and how older adults use CIs in real world settings Older adults with cochlear implants CIs for age related hearing loss are a growing population who face challenges using their devices in many common physical and social environments There is a substantial need for low cost accessible evidence based resources for older adults because in person postimplantation support services are beneficial but often difficult to access The Online Resource Center for Older Adults with CIs RCCI offers a promising approach to provide older adults and their family members with high quality information and skills building resources to prepare and support older adults to optimally benefit from their CI