If you need to talk louder or repeat yourself frequently with your loved one, they may be experiencing a hearing loss. Hearing loss is widespread, but many have difficulty taking the initial step to tackle the problem. Studies also have shown that people neglect their hearing difficulties for seven years before seeking support.
If left unaddressed, hearing loss will significantly impair a person’s overall health and quality of life. If you think a loved one may have hearing loss, you may want to talk about it with them, but be careful. Many age-related taboos exist surrounding hearing loss.
Do you want to encourage your loved one to seek help but don’t know where to start? Here are some ideas to support those you care about.
Read up on the latest research
Educate yourself in advance on the risks of hearing loss and research to back up your claims while talking about the issue with your loved one.
For example, a common misconception is that hearing loss is rare and affects only older adults. But hearing loss is the third most common medical condition in the U.S., affecting nearly 48 million people; it is also a disease that affects not just the elderly, but all ages.
Over the decades, there have also been several studies about how untreated hearing loss radiates to all aspects of one’s life: employment, mental health, physical health, and interpersonal relationships, of course. Johns Hopkins researchers showed that untreated hearing loss affects cognitive ability and can raise the risk of dementia. Other studies show how untreated hearing loss could lead to lower earning power in the workplace and a higher risk of falls, injury, and hospitalization.
Choose a quiet place and the right time
Understanding that hearing loss causes communication barriers, you’ll want to choose a peaceful time and place for a one-on-one chat with your loved one. A group discussion can sound too much like an intrusion, and people with hearing loss can have trouble following conversations with several different speakers. One-on-one allows you more space to address this critical topic.
Talk about how the hearing loss is affecting you personally
Speaking of one’s hearing loss can be a delicate subject, and you want to avoid making your loved one feel defensive. Rather than putting on all your concerns, explore your encounters with them that were hard for you.
Use relevant examples, if possible, and make ‘I’ statements such as “I often repeat myself for you, and it frustrates me when I do this so much.”
Listen to their point of view
Allow your loved one to respond and share their own experiences. Chances are, they may have also noticed the changes in their hearing and may have their complaints.
Check your hearing at the same time
There is a good chance that a hearing test can benefit you too, so why not offer to take one with them?
If the hearing loss of your loved one has affected you so much that you want to help them cope with it, chances are you understand the value of seeing a hearing healthcare professional and acting early on hearing loss.
Even if you don’t think you’ve got hearing loss yourself, once you have your hearing checked, you can never really be sure. Hearing loss occurs over time, and in the beginning, you are likely not even to realize it.
If you go to get your hearing tested alongside your loved one, the process can make your loved one feel more secure. Plus, hopefully, this will help them see you are genuinely committed to their happiness and well-being.
Stop being a human hearing aid
This one is for you. If you’re used to repeating your sentences and describing things for the benefit of your loved one, you’re prolonging your partner’s length of time without medical support.
To help them acknowledge the scale of the problem, it’s best to practice some tough love and refuse to provide this service anymore. Initially, you may face some opposition, but pressuring them to fend for themselves would make them understand quicker that their hearing loss is irreversible if untreated.
At Aspire Audiology and Hearing, we enjoy partnering with people to find hearing options that suit their lifestyle and needs. Our extensive hearing test is painless and non-invasive and will give you or someone you care about a comprehensive overview of any hearing problem.