As we grow older, does tinnitus become more or less troublesome? Does its impact differ between younger and older adults? Do older people benefit more, less or equally from different tinnitus interventions?

Ageing changes more than hearing. It can involve changes in the brain and body, cognition, sleep, balance, mobility and general health. Older adults may live with several health conditions, take multiple medications or experience changes in vision and other senses.

Later life may also bring retirement, altered occupational and family roles, caring responsibilities, bereavement, reduced income, changes in independence and social isolation. Each of these may influence how tinnitus is noticed, interpreted and managed.

However, ageing is not only a process of loss. It may also bring wisdom, accumulated knowledge, greater self-understanding, emotional maturity, resilience and a broader perspective on adversity. With experience, some people become better able to distinguish what matters from what does not, tolerate uncertainty and draw upon coping strategies developed over a lifetime. These strengths may change the meaning given to tinnitus and reduce its place within a person’s life.

The symposium therefore asks:

Is it tinnitus that changes with age, or the person, body and world in which tinnitus is experienced?

WTC/ITS London 2027 welcomes abstracts for a dedicated symposium led by Dr Maria Hoff (Sweden). We particularly encourage submissions examining:

• Differences in tinnitus perception, distress and functional impact across age groups
• How tinnitus develops or changes across the life course
• Age-related changes in hearing, the auditory system, the brain and the wider body
• The relationships between tinnitus, cognition, sleep, balance, mobility and frailty
• Tinnitus in the context of chronic illness, multimorbidity and polypharmacy
• Interactions with hearing loss, visual impairment and other sensory changes
• The effects of retirement, occupational change, caring responsibilities and changing social roles
• The influence of bereavement, loneliness, social connection, identity and quality of life
• The potential roles of wisdom, resilience, acceptance, life experience and emotional regulation
• The experiences and needs of partners, relatives and carers
• Differences in access to, engagement with and outcomes from tinnitus interventions
• The suitability of psychological, audiological, medical, digital and multidisciplinary interventions for older adults
• Service models that respond to the practical and clinical needs of ageing populations
• The inclusion and representation of older adults in tinnitus research

Older adults are not a single, uniform population. We welcome work that considers health, culture, socioeconomic circumstances, life experience and individual priorities rather than treating chronological age as the only defining factor.

Clinical studies, experimental research, service evaluations, systematic reviews, case reports and qualitative studies of lived experience are all welcome.

Abstract submission deadline: 31 January 2027

WTC/ITS London 2027
30 June–2 July 2027

Submit your abstract:
https://wtc2027.co.uk/registration-and-abstracts/