Denial is a common first reaction. Of course, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as advanced as it seems. She’s not old enough for a hearing aid.
Maybe, the two of you have begun to kid around with one another about it. She is always asking you to repeat what you said. It’s just a game. You laugh about it. But it’s starting to become less and less funny. You question whether she’s just disregarding you or if she may actually be having some genuine hearing trouble.
It’s time to be supportive and make certain your loved one receives the care they need to keep living a happy, healthy, active life well into their older age.
Here are 4 common signals that somebody you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She’s more drained than normal particularly when you go out
You might believe it’s simply a sign of aging. Your loved one just doesn’t have as much energy as they once did. When she says she just doesn’t feel like going out tonight, you try to understand.
Then she starts skipping meetings with a hobby group, organization, or club that she’s always loved, even when they get together virtually, and you begin to recognize something may be wrong. Your loved one’s energy seems to be exhausted by loud settings. This is especially true if they are in a situation where there is more than one conversation happening, or there’s a lot of background noise.
Individuals who are straining to hear put excessive energy toward comprehending those around them. They frequently have to pull this energy from other brain functions like memory, talking, and moving.
Using this additional brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just tires it out. In social settings, fatigue will often seem to shut your loved one down.
Don’t assume you know what she’s experiencing. It could be a mix of things. But ask questions. Get to the root cause and suggest that she get a hearing test.
2. She always turns the TV up too loud
This is frequently one of the first signs that you may notice in another person. They can’t seem to watch TV or play music at a healthy volume.
You walk into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just entered a theater. You suddenly get the urge to make some popcorn, except you realize that she’s just watching a reality show or documentary at a volume that almost blows your ears out. Your neighbors are even able to hear it.
When you say that the TV is too loud, she might laugh and lower the volume. Then you notice that she just switched on the captions.
She may not want to admit that she really can’t hear the TV. It’s probably time for you to recommend a hearing assessment if this is a regular thing.
3. She often needs people to repeat what they said
If you’re in a really loud setting like a concert or movie theater or she’s really focused on a movie, then it may be nothing. If it’s occurring more often than that, be aware.
Likewise, pay attention if she seems to have a lot of trouble hearing when she’s using the phone.
Is she complaining about people mumbling or low-talking constantly? Does she frequently need people to repeat what they said? It’s time for a compassionate talk about the advantages of hearing aids.
4. You’re feeling a rift in the relationship
Couples argue twice as much when one of them has hearing loss, according to research. They might argue about what one of them did or didn’t say, the volume of the TV, or other misunderstandings.
In general, there’s just more stress in a household when somebody can’t hear. They get frustrated about their hearing loss. Others get upset when they won’t get help. This leads to lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart or alone.
This can lead to permanent damage to the relationship and the couple often doesn’t even realize that hearing loss is the cause. Even moderate hearing loss can strain a relationship, so it pays to get it checked out.
Whether it’s a friend, sibling, or partner, you can get new perspective on your relationships by simply getting a hearing test. Talk to your loved one about getting their hearing assessed.
If somebody has hearing loss, hearing aids can change their lives and most will say they would never go back. In fact, they regret they waited so long to get them in the first place. Their general quality of life will be greatly enhanced.
It isn’t a comfortable talk to have. But the difficulty of this conversation is worth it when your loved one finally gets the assistance they need.
Need more practical ideas about how to handle your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us right away!
