Attendees at Audiology Australia’s main conference this year, The Sound Exchange ’24, can select from key areas of contemporary hearing health practice such as holistic hearing rehabilitation.
One of five masterclass streams and three pre-conference workshops at this year’s event, The 5-Step Plan for Holistic Hearing centres on an evidence-based best practice framework developed by a team of Australian, US and UK experts. The team was led by Audiology Australia President, Dr Barbra Timmer, also a University of Queensland lecturer and senior Sonova AG scientist.
The model is designed to support integration of Holistic Hearing Rehabilitation into existing rehabilitation programs. Among those joining Timmer for the two-day deep dive into elements of the plan including counselling models, case studies and group discussions, is international research leader, Dr Jack Holman.
A senior Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham, Holman’s work to identify patients most in need of help and measurement of improvements has been cited 355 times, including by the World Health Organization and NHS England.
With more than 60 speakers across the pre-conference workshops and five streams, other options on offer span key areas of contemporary paediatric and adult audiology practice to provide practical tools, insights and knowledge attendees will use in their clinic.
Those opting for the Community Paediatrics: Behavioural Assessment of Children Aged 8 Months to 6 Years stream will be joined by speakers including Monash diagnostic audiologist, Ms Bernadette Hassett for a comprehensive exploration of behavioural observation audiometry (BOA), visual response audiometry (VRA) free-field and with inserts play audiometry, and the Kendall Toy Test.
As well as tips and tricks, attendees will receive practical training on equipment and tools for use in metropolitan and regional clinics or visiting sites.
Physiotherapists keep things balanced in vestibular rehabilitation boot camp
Audiology Australia says many audiologists work closely with physiotherapists to deliver rehabilitation plans for patients with vestibular disorders and issues. Senior physiotherapists Ms Bianca Charles and Ms Tess Peverill from Melbourne’s Neurological Rehabilitation Group will improve audiologists’ understanding of what happens when patients attend a physiotherapy clinic and discuss collaboration with audiologists by presenting in the Vestibular Boot Camp masterclass.
They assess, treat and manage neurological clients and conduct research into the multi-disciplinary management of concussion in adult and paediatric populations. They told Audiology Australia that this includes education about lifestyle changes, and repositioning manoeuvres for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo or vestibular rehabilitation, aiming to reduce symptoms and aid return to normal activities.
Technology and chronic conductive hearing loss in focus
The Cochlear Implants: Maximising Auditory Potential Across the Lifespan masterclass stream includes ENT and cochlear implant surgeon Dr Claire Iseli from The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. It is an opportunity for audiologists working in a range of service delivery settings to engage with every step on the implant journey, update knowledge of all brands of modern CI devices, review referral criteria and pre-surgery counselling to work with software and mapping protocols and explore rehabilitation.
In the Management of Chronic Conductive Hearing Loss in Adults masterclass stream, which is booked out, Ms Sandra Lee, Victorian Hearing audiologist specialising in bone conduction programming and cochlear implants, will present on how to improve an audiologist’s capabilities using non-standard devices with patients who may not be suited for traditional hearing aids.
Audiology Australia says The Sound Exchange is Australia’s leading immersive and interactive hearing health learning experience, and number one destination for learning that practitioners will use in the clinic.
With pre-conference workshops and extra exclusive online learning content also on the menu, The Sound Exchange’ 24 Audiology in Action offers up to 20 hours of CPD and will run from 26-28 May at Pullman Mercure Melbourne Albert Park.
Click here for more details.
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