Eleventh International Conference on Health, Wellness & Society

Abstract

This research investigated the ability for the Cochlear Implant to influence quality of life amongst postlingually deafened adults, aged between 35 and 65 years of age. The Cochlear Implant is a surgically implanted electronic device that has the ability to provide a sense of sound to recipients with a moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss. Although the general effects of the Cochlear Implant have been well investigated, particularly for older adults and paediatric populations, there is a gap in research that explores quality of life outcomes for people in young and middle adulthood. This study was crafted to learn about the effects of the Cochlear Implant within the workplace, a recipient’s social life and relationships; both platonic and romantic in this age group. In addition, several measures of quality of life were explored, encompassing mental, social and physical wellbeing. In-depth interviews were conducted with postlingually deafened recipients of the Cochlear Implant and the results demonstrate a strong correlation between the Cochlear Implant and improved quality of life. The conclusions of this study, built on a phenomenologically inspired thematic analysis of data, revealed that through the re-introduction of sound via the Cochlear Implant, the recipient’s quality of life is significantly positively impacted. Most notably, recipients reported improvements in their social lives. Confidence and empowerment were additional themes that emerged as a result of the Cochlear Implant.