Older community-dwelling adults reported moderately high sensitivity to noise and employed a range of coping strategies, including avoidance, to deal with noise in community-based venues, suggesting greater consumer engagement is necessary to support ongoing lifestyle activity.
Key Findings
Results
Older community-dwelling adults reported moderately high sensitivity to noise as measured by the 3-NS scale.
Sample size was n=50 older adults residing in an independent living community in New South Wales, Australia.
Median noise sensitivity score was 9/15 on the 3-Noise Sensitivity Scale (3-NS), with an interquartile range of 8-10.
The study used a voluntary anonymised paper-based survey incorporating questions from both the Noise Sensitivity Scale (3-NS) and the Noise Sensitivity Questionnaire (NoiSeQ).
Results
Participants with hearing aids were more likely to score higher on total NoiSeQ noise sensitivity questions.
23 out of 50 participants used hearing aids.
Hearing aid users had significantly higher total NoiSeQ scores (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.01–1.30, p=0.03).
This association suggests that hearing aid use is linked to greater self-reported noise sensitivity rather than reduced sensitivity.
Results
Shopping venues, food courts, and clubs were the most commonly identified noisy community environments.
Shopping venues were identified as noisy by 32/50 participants.
Food courts were identified as noisy by 32/50 participants.
Clubs were identified as noisy by 24/50 participants.
Results
Focus groups identified three key themes related to how older adults experience and interpret indoor sound.
Focus groups included n=20 participants.
The three key themes were: (1) 'noise' versus 'music'; (2) acceptance of sound; and (3) coping strategies.
Factors affecting whether sound was perceived as 'noise' included the self-perceived health of the listener and the qualities, familiarity, and perceived necessity of the sound.
Results
Older adults employed a range of coping strategies to manage noise in community-based venues.
Coping strategies included adjustment of hearing aids.
Avoidance strategies were commonly reported, including online shopping and shopping at non-peak times.
These strategies suggest that noise may be driving behavioural changes that reduce participation in community activities.
Results
The perception of sound as 'noise' was influenced by both listener-related and sound-related factors.
Listener-related factors included the self-perceived health of the individual.
Sound-related factors included the qualities, familiarity, and perceived necessity of the sound.
These factors were identified through qualitative focus group analysis and highlight the subjective nature of noise perception.
What This Means
This research suggests that older adults living independently in the community are quite sensitive to noise in everyday public spaces like shopping centres, food courts, and clubs. In a study of 50 older Australians, participants scored moderately high on standardised noise sensitivity scales, and those who wore hearing aids actually reported being more sensitive to noise, not less. The most commonly reported noisy environments were shopping venues and food courts, named by nearly two-thirds of participants.
Through focus group discussions with 20 participants, the study found that whether a sound is experienced as bothersome 'noise' depends on a range of personal and situational factors — including the person's own health, and whether the sound feels familiar or necessary to them. For example, the same music might feel enjoyable to one person and intrusive to another. Older adults described developing their own ways of coping with difficult sound environments, including adjusting their hearing aids or avoiding noisy places altogether by shopping online or visiting stores during quieter hours.
This research suggests that noise in community venues may be quietly pushing older adults away from public participation and social engagement, which can have broader consequences for health and wellbeing. The findings point to a need for venue designers, community planners, and service providers to better understand and respond to the noise-related needs of older adults in order to keep them active and connected in their communities.
Short A, Ní Chróinín D, Rajendran H, Poulos C, Hogden A. (2026). The Big Bang: How Does Indoor Noise Affect Lifestyle Choices of Older Community-Dwelling Adults? An Exploratory Mixed Methods Study.. Australasian journal on ageing. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.70226