It’s a normal first response – denial. My loved one must be just making it seem like their hearing loss is more severe than it really is. She’s not old enough for a hearing aid.
Maybe, it’s become a joke between both of you. Your loved one constantly asks you to repeat yourself. You joke about it as if it’s just a game. But this game is getting old fast. You’re starting to think that perhaps your partner, sibling, or parent is either ignoring you or actually having difficulty hearing.
You want your loved one to have a healthy, energetic, and happy life for many years so it’s likely time to be supportive and help them seek out the appropriate help.
If somebody you know needs hearing aids they will probably be exhibiting these 4 prevalent signs.
1. She seems fatigued, especially in public
You might believe it’s simply an indication of getting older. Your loved one just doesn’t have as much energy as they once did. You try to understand when she says that she’s not going out tonight.
You really begin to suspect that something isn’t right when she starts missing meetings with clubs, organizations, and hobby groups she’s always loved. Your loved one’s energy seems to be drained by loud settings. If there is a lot of background noise, or if more than one conversation is taking place simultaneously, this is particularly true.
People who are straining to hear put excess energy toward understanding people around them. They often have to draw this energy from other brain functions like memory, talking, and moving.
This use of additional energy is actually exhausting the brain not strengthening it. In social settings, exhaustion will often seem to shut your loved one down.
If you aren’t going through the same thing, don’t presume you can relate to what she’s going through. Her feelings might be due to a number of factors. In order to get to the root of the problem, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing assessment.
2. She watches the TV LOUD
Often, you will identify this symptom first. Whenever they listen to music or watch TV, they turn it up really loud.
You go into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just walked into 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. You can even hear it from outside.
When you say that the TV is too loud, she may chuckle and lower the volume. Then you realize that she just switched on the captions.
She may not want to acknowledge that she actually can’t hear the TV. If this is occurring a lot, it might be time for you to recommend a hearing exam.
3. She often needs people to repeat what they said
If you’re in a really loud environment like a concert or movie theater or she’s really focused on a movie, then it may be nothing. If it’s happening more frequently than that, be aware.
Similarly, pay attention if she seems to have a lot of difficulty hearing when she’s using the phone.
Is she griping about people muttering or low-talking constantly? Does she frequently need people to repeat what they said? If so, it’s time to have that loving discussion about how much better life is with hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling strained
Couples argue twice as much when one of them has hearing loss, according to research. These arguments might be about TV volume, misunderstandings, or what one claims the other person may or may not have said.
Overall, there’s just more stress in a household when somebody can’t hear. Their hearing loss is frustrating. Others get upset when they won’t go in for help. This often results in people deciding to spend more time apart because of more hurt feelings.
This can lead to permanent damage to the relationship and the couple frequently doesn’t even realize that hearing loss is the reason. 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 getting a simple hearing test. Speak with your loved one about getting a hearing test.
If someone has hearing loss, hearing aids can change their lives and most will state they would never go back. In fact, they regret they waited so long to get them in the first place. They feel happier, healthier, and more active.
It can be a difficult talk to have. But when your loved one finally gets the help they require it will all have been worth it.
Need more practical ideas about how to handle your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us right away!