Candidacy and management of assistive listening devices: special needs of the elderly.

The listening needs of older individuals cannot be successfully addressed with hearing aids alone. Assistive listening devices and systems (ALDs), either solely or in conjunction with the use of personal hearing aids, can facilitate listening in various acoustic environments, especially those in which excessive noise, reverberation and distance exist between the listener and sound source. Listening situations that are especially problematic, even with hearing aids, such as listening in large groups, on the telephone, in restaurants and at concerts and movies are ideally suited for ALD use.