First Ida Institute Seminar Takes a Relationship-Centered Approach to 'Defining Hearing'

The Ida Institute will convene its first educational seminar, Defining Hearing, September 25-27 in Skodsborg, Denmark. Distinguished faculty members Dr. Harvey Abrams, Dr. Kristina English, Dr. Christina dePlacido and Dr. Tine Tjornhoj-Thomsen worked closely with Ida Institute to create an innovative seminar that would support the institute's commitment to fostering a better understanding on the human dynamics of hearing loss.

The resulting seminar uses clinical practice models, theories and management techniques from related healthcare disciplines and videos of ethnographic interviews conducted by staff anthropologists and short theatrical plays highlighting the challenges and experiences in everyday hearing care practice. The participating hearing care professionals will work in a collaborative process to develop a relationship-centered care approach to defining hearing.

"The seminar is designed to take full advantage of the expert knowledge of our faculty, the clinical experience of our participants and clinical models and theories that are well developed in other healthcare arenas but new to the field of audiology," says Ida Institute Director Lise Lotte Bundesen. "Our goal is to provide a platform for communication and discussion that will expand opportunities to create, innovate and advance thinking about hearing loss and hearing care."

'We are extremely excited about this seminar because it is the first of its kind in hearing healthcare and audiology,' said Dr. Kristina English, associate professor, president elect of the American Academy of Audiology and Ida Institute faculty member. 'Professionals from around the world will have an opportunity to re-examine the way they practice today and hopefully find better practices that are focused on relationship-centered care.'

'Defining Hearing is our title because we felt that there is most often a gap in understanding between hearing healthcare practitioner, patients and their families,' said
Dr. Harvey Abrams, Director of Research at the Army Audiology and Speech Center at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Ida Institute faculty member.

A total of 24 hearing care practitioners representing 15 countries will participate in the Defining Hearing seminar. Bundesen noted that Ida Institute staff, faculty and seminar participants will continue to collaborate post-seminar in a series of knowledge-sharing and networking exercises and by joining an online community via the institute's new website that will be launched October 2008 (www.idainstitute.dk).

About the Ida Institute

Established in 2007 with a grant from the William Demant and Wife Ida Emilie Foundation, the Ida Institute is as a non-profit independent educational institute located in Copenhagen, Denmark. Named in honor of Ida Emilie Demant, the Institute seeks to foster a better understanding of the human dynamics of hearing loss from its recognition to its resolution - the patient journey. By serving as a catalyst for knowledge sharing and the development of innovative and practical tools, the Institute assists hearing care professionals in helping hearing impaired people address the physical, psychological and social challenges of hearing loss.