If someone you care about needs help hearing, you might have wrong ideas about what they go through. You might have a bad picture of what it’s like to have hearing loss, which can lead you to have false expectations of a loved one. Let’s talk about a few things people who have trouble hearing wish they knew. Keeping these in mind and changing how you interact with your loved one can make a massive difference for them, leading to a stronger connection and better communication to meet their needs.
Those with hearing loss still want to be spoken to like an adult.
Some people make such big mistakes with how they talk that they end up talking down to people with hearing loss. Even if you don’t mean to, these changes to how you talk can make your loved one feel worse instead of better.
Slowing down your speech, emphasizing your consonants, and raising your volume to the point where you’re shouting can be embarrassing for your loved one, so be careful not to do these things. Many people can hear well enough if you raise the volume a little unless they ask you to do something else to help them hear.
Hearing loss is a lot of work.
People with hearing loss can get tired of talking or being around others quickly. You might want them to stay longer than they can, and you might even see them looking around to see what’s happening. When they are expected to keep working even though they are tired, it hurts more than just their energy and ability to work. Some people start to feel alone when they can’t hear in a group setting. Feeling alone in a room full of people can even cause mental health problems, so don’t expect your loved one to do more than they can handle.
Those with hearing loss still want to speak for themselves.
When you’re with a loved one with hearing loss, and it’s clear, you might be tempted to speak for them. Instead of making communication harder than it needs to be, why not just give the needed information and fill in the obvious gaps?
Even though the urge is strong, talking for someone with trouble hearing can hurt them in several ways. First, it makes the person feel like they aren’t important and can’t do things independently. Even in a busy place, speaking for someone else can add to feeling alone. Also, there is a strong link between hearing loss and a higher risk of dementia and other problems with the brain. Many experts think this link is partly caused by the fact that people who have trouble communicating may not use their minds as much. When you speak for someone you care about, you take away their chance to use their mental and cognitive “muscles.”
A little help goes a long way.
If you know how to help a loved one with hearing loss correctly, those changes can go a long way. People have different needs, so you’ll need to know precisely what your loved one wants.
People often ask that you don’t call out from another room. When you do that, the sound gets muffled, and your loved one can’t see how you move your mouth or body to help them understand what you’re saying. Others would like you to talk closer to their “good ear” whenever possible.
Hearing aids don’t work like glasses.
Glasses turn blurry images into clear, sharp ones that help you see better. Even though they help a lot, hearing aids are not the same as getting your normal hearing back. Sounds get louder when you listen, but they don’t always get clearer. Even though the technology is always getting better, some hearing aids can’t tell the difference between the voice of the speaker and the hum in the background. This sometimes makes it hard to pay attention to what people say.
We hope this piece goes a long way toward helping you understand the experience of hearing loss. Your simple action could make the difference between getting along and not getting along.
The best way to help a loved one with hearing loss is to encourage treatment and be there for them as they go through it. The first step is to get a hearing test, so you can help set up that appointment and go with them to give them moral support. We’re on hand when your loved one is ready to take the next step. Contact us today to set up an appointment.