The role of volunteer support in the community for adults with XXXX and hearing aids.

@entity1 @entity393 @entity13997
OBJECTIVES: To explore interactions between audiology @entity1 and volunteers, to describe encounters and define the role of volunteers. METHODS: Qualitative ethnographic and interview study of volunteer- @entity1 interactions. Ten volunteer @entity1 from two volunteer schemes in South West England were observed and interviewed. Three @entity1 @entity1 were interviewed. RESULTS: Analysis of observational data showed that volunteers provided support relating to local services and hearing aids, but did not engage in discussions about @entity393 . Interviews with volunteers identified gaps in audiology provision, including accessible services and clear information and highlighted a need for more support from audiology services to enable them to fulfil their role. @entity13997 with @entity1 mimicked a clinician- @entity1 encounter and volunteers employed strategies and behaviours used by professional audiologists. CONCLUSIONS: Audiology volunteers could provide an accessible bridge between health services and the community but their care is limited to focus on hearing aids. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Volunteers enable @entity1 to use hearing aids appropriately and are a core element of current care arrangements. However, volunteers express a need for adequate support from audiology services. Volunteers have the potential to increase service capacity and to bridge the gaps between community and audiology healthcare services.
