Abstract
As countries globally experience aging populations, interdisciplinary cerumen management in older adults led by nurse practitioners in primary care is essential. Cerumen impaction prevalence is examined, including risk factors such as hearing aid use, age-related cerumen fluctuations, and chronic disease contributions. Current guidelines for assessment, diagnosis, and management approaches are discussed, including cerumenolytic agents, aural irrigation, manual removal techniques, and microsuction. Cerumen management challenges in older adults are also considered such as anticoagulation and cognitive deficits. Otoscopic examinations of older adults followed by tailored interventions to optimize hearing outcomes are essential for quality of life.
•Interdisciplinary cerumen management of older adults led by nurse practitioners within primary care is essential.•Approximately 30% of older adults require cerumen impaction management.•Cerumenolytic agents, aural irrigation, manual removal under direct visualization, microsuction, and observation are all evidence-based methods of managing cerumen impactions in older adults.•Cerumen management challenges in older adults include anticoagulants, comorbidities, and cognitive deficits.•Tailored cerumen management for older adults can provide quality of life as they age in place.
