For someone suffering from hearing loss, the impact is significant. Potential issues include impaired communication, social withdrawal and emotional problems. As if that isn’t bad enough, hearing loss affects family members, friends and loved ones, too. For these reasons, it’s important to help a loved one struggling with hearing loss.
Ways to help
- Be patient: Patience promotes successful communication. Practicing empathy and relating to the issues your loved one is experiencing may help to increase your patience.
- Rephrase: People make common mistakes when someone can’t understand them, such as repeating the same words … only louder. Rephrasing your words is a better option. For example, simply repeating “What time do you want to go out to eat?” while raising your voice may not help someone with hearing loss. Instead, try saying, “When are we going to Olive Garden?”
- Noise strategies: Be aware of background noise when talking to somebody who has hearing problems. Make sure that you are facing the person and looking directly at them. Good lighting also makes a difference.
- Communication strategies: Speak clearly at a moderate pace. Try to avoid mumbling, covering your mouth or chewing when speaking. Hand gestures and facial expressions are encouraged.
Remember, there is an adjustment period once someone gets a hearing aid. A person’s surroundings will still sound different when they initially use their hearing aid. Practice the steps above to ensure a smooth transition period.
The professionals at Mobile Hearing Aids are available to answer all your hearing questions. Call us at (440) 310-7037 or click here.