Taringa Whakarongo – Older Māori and whānau experiences of hearing loss and hearing services.

Alehandrea Raiha Manuel (Ngāti Porou), The University of Auckland

My PhD research entitled ‘Taringa Whakarongo: older Māori and whānau experiences of hearing loss and hearing services’ seeks to explore older Māori and whānau experiences of the hearing health care system and the various impacts hearing loss may have on their roles and functions in society. 

It also aims to understand what perspectives hearing health care workforce and Māori health care workforce have of hearing health care provision for older Māori and whānau. Two qualitative methods have been chose: whānau interviews and focus groups. They will be utilised to bring older Māori and whānau realities of the current hearing health care system to the forefront.

Older Māori and whānau have the right to obtain accessible quality hearing health care services. Given there is limited research to address the current gaps in hearing health care, this is an area that requires further attention from a Kaupapa Māori stance. Aotearoa could potentially have equitable hearing services with ongoing partnership with hard-of-hearing Māori and whānau. It is hoped the research will have great impact on the provision of hearing services for Māori. As well as open hearing and ear health research opportunities for Indigenous peoples through Indigenous research approaches.