How to Help Someone Who Has Hearing Loss

When a loved one experiences hearing loss, it’s not only difficult for them, but it affects your daily life as well. Hearing loss is a common condition that affects a large percentage of people as they grow older or even suddenly due to an injury or other condition. It can be quite distressing and often leads hard of hearing people into isolation, which is difficult for them and their loved ones. With patience, understanding and support you can really make a hard of hearing person’s daily life easier so that they can enjoy life on their own terms.

So what are the right ways to communicate and help a hard of hearing person without embarrassing them?

Be supportive.

A person needs time from the moment they discover they have a hearing difficulty to the moment they decide to buy hearing aids. Develop new ways of communicating with each other or help them by being with them throughout their journey. When you talk, you are easily driven to the point of shouting and repeating your words over and over again, but in the same way. Remember that he cannot hear you like a person with normal hearing because he has lost some frequencies. Be patient and try to rephrase your words by speaking more slowly and clearly.

Hearing aids are made to make it easier for people with hearing loss to communicate. Therefore, it is important to help these people understand that wearing them in every conversation can only be a positive thing for them and for you. For this reason, it is therefore advisable to adopt a tactic that aims to highlight the positive effects that hearing aids have on their lives, rather than emphasising the problem of hearing loss.

As has been shown, hearing loss can have a big impact on their health and safety. Hearing loss affects everyday habits such as driving, simply going to the shops or using public transport as there is an inability to communicate effectively.

Difficulty in communicating leads to social isolation, feelings of powerlessness and depression. Do some research yourself on hearing loss and hearing aids. The more you know about hearing loss, the better you will be able to help your loved ones who are experiencing it.

Mention the health benefits and give them examples of people you know who have gone through the process and seen their lives improve.

Be compassionate and caring.

Let them know that you want them to get help because you want a better and higher quality life for them. Be patient and understanding. Always offer your help and suggest smart solutions that work for them in their daily lives. It is equally important to remain positive and optimistic when your loved ones are experiencing hearing loss. Remember to encourage them to participate in social activities, get on with their lives and always keep in mind that hearing loss is not what defines them as people.

Work with them to find suitable hearing aids.

If a loved one is experiencing symptoms of hearing loss, encourage them to seek help from a specialist. Don’t let them overlook the symptoms of the condition and let the years go by until their hearing gets even worse. The rule of thumb here is “the sooner the better”. It is important to speak directly about hearing loss. Take it upon yourself to schedule your first appointment with a hearing care professional. The hearing care professional should initially look at the patient’s audiogram or take the measurement themselves if one is not already available. He or she will then ask questions about the patient’s lifestyle, interests and habits. This is a very important step, as the answers will help ensure that the solution proposed is tailored specifically to his or her needs.

Finding the right hearing aids can be a process that is initially daunting for the hard of hearing person because of the admission of the difficulty they face. Find a professional and offer to accompany them to the appointment you make. It is very helpful to have a relative present during a trial, as there will be a lot of information to assimilate, and at the same time you will be able to see the results of such a purchase yourself. Also, it is important to have a familiar voice next to him so that he can immediately understand the difference in the conversation between you.

Go through the adjustment period together.

Adapting the brain to new sounds and getting used to hearing aids is a process that takes a few days to achieve the final result. Make sure they know there is an adjustment period and with your support and encouragement, your loved ones can learn to handle them flawlessly and enjoy the benefits they provide.

How to Help Someone Who Has Hearing Loss? In any case, it’s good to remind them how helpful their use is and that by wearing hearing aids they can enjoy sounds and conversations again that they probably haven’t heard in a long time with ease.