Hearing loops in care homes: a buyer’s guide

A care home hearing loop should let residents who use hearing aids or cochlear implants hear speech clearly in the rooms that matter most: reception, lounges, dining rooms and activity spaces. Choose a system designed and commissioned to meet IEC 60118-4, installed in line with BS 7594, and kept working through simple, regular checks.

Why do care homes need hearing loops?

Hearing loss is common among older people, and background noise in lounges and dining rooms makes conversation, activities and care discussions harder to follow. A hearing loop sends sound directly to a hearing aid set to its telecoil setting, cutting through that noise. It is also a practical way to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010.

When residents cannot follow what is being said, they can withdraw from activities, miss mealtime conversation and become isolated. Staff may raise their voices, which is tiring for everyone and can feel undignified. A well designed loop lets residents take part on equal terms, whether that is a quiz, a religious service, a film afternoon or a family meeting about their care. Supporting individual communication needs in this way also speaks directly to the CQC Responsive key question. You can read more about our approach on the hearing loops and assistive audio page.

What types of hearing loop are there?

There are three main approaches: portable loops for one-to-one conversations, counter loops for reception desks and nurse stations, and room loops that cover a whole lounge or activity space. Broadcast audio using Auracast, the Bluetooth standard, can complement loops, but loops still work with the widest range of existing hearing aids.

Room loops come in different designs. A simple loop around the edge of a room is effective, but its signal can spill into rooms above, below and next door. Where two looped rooms sit close together, or where private conversations happen, a low-spill design keeps the signal where it is meant to be. That is a design decision to make at survey stage, not after installation.

Residents who do not wear hearing aids, or whose aids have no telecoil, may benefit from a personal listener with headphones. It is worth having a few available for visitors and new admissions while hearing assessments are arranged.

What standards should a hearing loop meet?

Loop performance is measured against IEC 60118-4, which covers signal strength, frequency response and background magnetic noise. In the UK, BS 7594 is the code of practice for designing, installing and maintaining induction loops. Ask for a commissioning certificate showing the system was measured against IEC 60118-4 after installation.

Steel in floors, walls and ceilings can weaken a loop signal and distort its sound, so the building needs surveying before a design is agreed. Commissioning should be done with a proper field strength meter, not just by listening through a receiver. Ask the installer to show you the coverage area, to explain any areas where performance is weaker, and to fit signage showing where the loop works.

Where should loops go in a care home?

Start with the places where conversation matters most and background noise is highest. For most homes that means the main lounge, dining rooms, activity spaces and reception. Add portable loops for bedrooms, care reviews and visits from health professionals, so one-to-one conversations are covered wherever they happen.

A loop is only as good as the sound fed into it. Plan the sound sources at the same time as the loop: a microphone the activities coordinator will actually wear, a connection to the television, and a way to loop music, films and services. A loop that only picks up a distant ceiling microphone will relay the room’s noise as well as the speaker’s voice. Talk to residents and their families about which activities they struggle to follow, and design around those.

How do you keep a hearing loop working?

Many hearing loop problems are everyday ones rather than technical faults: an amplifier switched off, a microphone left in a drawer, or a television cable unplugged. Keep a simple routine of checks, train staff to test the loop with a listening receiver, and name a person responsible for it.

Include the loops in your planned maintenance, with periodic performance checks by a competent person as BS 7594 recommends. Keep the commissioning certificate and any test records together so you can show inspectors and families that the system is looked after. Remember the residents too: a hearing aid only picks up the loop if its telecoil setting is switched on, which may need an audiologist to activate. Staff should know how to help residents switch to it and to check their hearing aids are clean, charged and working.

Buyer’s checklist: questions to ask any supplier

• Will you survey the building, including the effect of metal in its structure, before you design the system?
• Will the design be to BS 7594, and will commissioning be measured against IEC 60118-4?
• Will we receive a commissioning certificate and coverage plan at handover?
• How will you control overspill into adjoining rooms and private spaces?
• What microphones and sound sources are included, and how will staff use them?
• Can the system connect to our televisions, music and any public address?
• What signage will you provide?
• What training do staff receive, and is there a simple daily check they can do?
• What ongoing maintenance and performance checks do you offer?
• How would you add Auracast broadcast audio later if we wanted it?
• Do you also supply portable and counter loops, so the whole home is covered consistently?

Frequently asked questions

Do all hearing aids work with a hearing loop?

Many hearing aids and cochlear implant processors have a telecoil, but not all do, and it is sometimes switched off by default. An audiologist can confirm whether a resident’s device has one and activate a loop setting. Residents without a telecoil may benefit from a personal listener with headphones instead.

Will a loop in the lounge be heard in the next room?

A simple loop around a room can spill into adjoining rooms, including those above and below. Where that matters, for example two looped rooms side by side or a room used for private conversations, a low-spill design can contain the signal. This should be agreed at the design stage, before installation starts.

Does Auracast replace hearing loops?

Not yet. Auracast is a Bluetooth standard for broadcasting audio to compatible hearing aids, earbuds and receivers, and it is becoming more widely available. Many hearing aids in use today do not support it, while telecoils are widespread, so most care homes are best served by loops, with broadcast audio as an addition.

Is a hearing loop a legal requirement in a care home?

No law says every room must have a loop. The Equality Act 2010 requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, and a loop is a common, practical way of doing that for residents and visitors with hearing loss. CQC will also look at how you meet individual communication needs.

How can we tell if our existing loop is working?

Staff can do a quick check by listening through a loop receiver while someone speaks into the microphone. That confirms the loop is live but not that it performs well. A formal measurement against IEC 60118-4 by a competent person will show whether signal strength and sound quality are adequate across the room.

If you are not sure whether your loops are working, or where they are most needed, we can help. We will look at your rooms, your residents’ needs and any equipment you already have, then give you clear, practical recommendations. Book a free care technology review.