Acquired hearing impairment in older couple relationships: An exploration of couple resilience processes

We explored, through eight semi-structured interviews, couple relationships in which one spouse had a hearing loss. Levels of hearing loss were assessed through audiograms and couple reports. Couples reported to gradually accept and find meaning in their experiences. This process was aided by knowing how the hearing loss came about. They also expressed beliefs and values, such as optimism, gratitude, and humor, which illustrated further meaning. Despite experiencing hearing-related couple communication difficulties, most couples demonstrated good communication skills that were likely strengthened in response to the hearing loss. Resources, such as assistive listening devices, appeared to be very helpful for couple adaptation. Resilience was further demonstrated through couples' balance between dependence and autonomy, and through maintaining a balanced emotional ledger during interviews.