It’s a normal first response – denial. My loved one must be just making it seem like their hearing loss is worse than it actually is. She’s not old enough to need a hearing aid.
Perhaps, it’s become a joke between the two of you. She is always requesting that you repeat what you said. You laugh about it as if it’s simply a game. But this game is getting old fast. You’re starting to think that perhaps your spouse, sibling, or parent is either dismissing you or actually having trouble hearing.
It’s time to be supportive and make sure your loved one gets the care they need to continue to live a happy, healthy, active life even into their older age.
Here are 4 prevalent signs that someone you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She appears to be exhausted, particularly in public
Perhaps you think that it just ordinarily occurs when you age. Your loved one just doesn’t have as much energy as they used to. When she says she just doesn’t feel like going out tonight, you try to understand.
Then she starts missing meetings with a hobby group, organization, or club that she’s always loved, even when they meet virtually, and you start to recognize something may be wrong. Loud noise seems to deplete your loved one’s energy. This is particularly true if they’re in a situation where there is more than one discussion going on, or there’s lots of background noise.
Extra energy is needed to hear and understand what people are saying when somebody is coping with hearing issues. As a result, energy is taken from other essential brain functions like physical mobility, memory, and talking.
Using this additional brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just tires it out. Your loved one will frequently seem to shut down with fatigue in social settings.
Don’t presume you understand what she’s dealing with. Her feelings might be due to numerous factors. In order to get to the root of the problem, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing test.
2. She always cranks the TV up too loud
This is frequently one of the first indications that you may identify in another person. Whenever they listen to music or watch TV, they crank it up very loud.
Your living room sounds like a movie theater. You suddenly get the impulse 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 outdoors.
She may turn it down when you inform her it’s too loud. 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 happening a lot, it might be time for you to suggest a hearing assessment.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
If you’re in a really loud environment like a concert or movie theater or she’s really concentrated on a movie, then it might be nothing. If it’s happening more often than that, be aware.
Also, if she’s straining to hear phone conversations you should pay attention.
Is she griping about people muttering or low-talking constantly? Is she requesting that people repeat themselves? It’s time for a compassionate talk about the advantages of hearing aids.
4. You’re feeling a rift in the relationship
Researchers have discovered that couples, where one is dealing with hearing loss, have about 50% more quarrels. These quarrels might be about TV volume, misunderstandings, or what one claims the other person did or didn’t say.
In general, there’s just more stress in a household when somebody can’t hear. Their hearing loss is frustrating. And their refusal to get help is stressful to others. This brings about lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart or alone.
Many couples don’t realize that hearing loss is the cause, and this can harm their relationship irreparably. It’s important to get the proper help because even moderate hearing loss can strain relationships.
Simply getting a hearing exam can give you a completely new perspective on your relationship, whether you’re talking about a spouse, sibling, or dear friend. Speak with your loved one about getting their hearing assessed.
If somebody 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’s not an easy discussion to have. But when your loved one finally finds the help they require it will all have been worth it.
Need more helpful ideas about how to address your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us today!