Predictions for 2031: Sue Falkingham: Audiologists, the new health gurus in 2031
Future of Audiology: 2031
Among UK figures from the 15 worldwide audiology experts we asked for visions of audiology in the year 2031, Sue Falkingham stands out as a voice of experience. She has been round the block in the hearing care sphere and knows the audiologist as well as anyone.
While many of our 2031 predictions focus on the role of technology and the growth of user power, Sue Falkingham sees an enhanced role for the audiologist within a hearing care sector elevated in status against other health areas. Read on…
Sue Falkingham, former President of the British Academy of Audiology (BAA); senior audiologist, Starkey UK.
Our image problem is gone. The wearing of devices to augment our brain inputs has become the new normal. Audiologists routinely screen for cognition status and everyone wants to ensure their brain doesn’t miss any of those important inputs from the ears.
The understanding of the key role—hearing the best you can—plays in keeping your brain healthy is widespread and audiologists are the new health gurus for the public. Devices have inbuilt monitoring, connect effortlessly to life, and are popped on as often and as comfortably as glasses are now. Technology has moved on, so once you have taken part in your rehabilitation programme with your audiologist your devices just integrate into your healthy lifestyle. Hearing health is as important a question as body health and the need for public awareness campaigns and advertising is gone, people see their audiologist routinely, and the best audiologists are in high demand from the public.
Source: Audiology Worldnews EUHA special 2021
