The wife of a 65 -year-old man says to the clinic nurse, 'I think the doctor should check out my husband's hearing. Either he is totally ignoring me and everyone else or he has a hearing problem.' How is the man likely to respond when the nurse asks him if he has difficulty hearing?

People who are losing their hearing usually complain that the people around them mutter. Denial is a very common response to hearing loss. Most older people who are having difficulties with hearing wait years before they will admit to hearing loss and accept treatment. Most older people who are losing their hearing hear lower frequencies (men's voices) better than higher frequencies (women's voices). Answer 4 not only indicates denial, but it also suggests that the client is in despair as opposed to ego integrity.