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RESEARCH MAY HELP OLDER ADULTS WITH SPEECH- PERCEPTION DIFFICULTIES One unpleasant and often overlooked fact of aging is the accompanying decline in ease of communication in daily activities. Everyday conversations and other communications may be sources of frustration to older listeners, as important bits of information are lost and the flow of activity moves on. While it is commonly accepted that older adults suffer from hearing loss, research concerning speech perception indicates that hearing loss alone does not adequately account for changes in ability to understand speech. Although still somewhat controversial, there is evidence that speech understanding difficulties in older listeners may be related to the ability to process incoming speech efficiently. Research has shown that many older adults experience a general slowing of mental processes. Models of speech understanding propose multiple processes from the reception of the sound at the eardrum and transmission through a series of auditory neutral channels to a final cortical interpretation of the sound based on linguistic experience and world knowledge. The speed with which these processes are performed can affect the ability to follow ongoing speech in typical conversations regardless of hearing sensitivity. Nancy Vaughan, assistant professor of speech and hearing sciences at WSU Spokane, has been conducting research in the area of speed of auditory processing using rapid speech produced by a computer algorithm which increases the speed of normal speech without adding distortions. Time compression reduces the redundancy of speech in addition to reducing the available processing time. In these studies, older listeners (aged 65-75) with normal hearing achieved poorer scores on speech understanding tests than either young (aged 25-35) or middle-aged listeners (aged 45-55). In order to improve speech understanding in older people with this deficiency, Vaughan and Margaret Mortz, WSU Spokane professor of electrical engineering, are working to develop a computer program to slow the rate of speech without distortions. The idea is that when people talk and leave spaces between words, they enunciate better. Initially, the model tested in the lab will examine the effect of various rates of speech on quality and intelligibility of recorded speech for older listeners. Ultimately a wearable device similar to a hearing aid could provide real-time slowing of the rate of speech. Older adults represent a significant portion of our population. Many withdraw from social interaction due to their inability to participate in situations where verbal exchange is required. It is hoped that this research will contribute to the ability of older adults to continue to participate effectively in society without the obstacle of a communication disability. |
