It’s a normal first reaction – denial. Surely, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as advanced as it seems. She’s not old enough to need a hearing aid.
Perhaps, it’s become a joke between the two of you. Your loved one always asks you to repeat yourself. You joke about it as if it’s simply a game. But it’s beginning to become less and less humorous. You wonder if she’s simply disregarding you or if she might actually be having some legit hearing trouble.
You want your loved one to have a healthy, active, and joyful life for years to come so it’s probably time to be encouraging and help them seek out the appropriate help.
If someone you know needs hearing aids they will probably be showing these 4 common signs.
1. She appears to be fatigued, particularly in public
You may believe it’s just an indication of getting older. Your loved one used to have much more energy. When she says she just doesn’t feel like going out tonight, you try to understand.
You really start to think 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 exhausted by loud settings. If there is lots of background noise, or if more than one conversation is taking place simultaneously, this is particularly true.
Additional energy is required to hear and comprehend what people are saying when someone is coping with hearing issues. They frequently have to pull this energy from other functions in the brain like memory, talking, and moving.
Using this extra 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 understand what she’s dealing with. Her feelings might be due to numerous factors. But ask questions. Get to the root cause and recommend that she gets her hearing tested.
2. She always turns the TV up too loud
This is often one of the first signs that you may identify in another person. They can’t seem to watch TV or listen to music at a normal volume.
Your living room sounds like a cinema. You feel like you should have some popcorn, but it’s just your loved one blowing your ears out with the TV. You can even hear it from outside.
When you suggest that the TV is too loud, she might laugh and turn it down. But actually, she turned on closed captions.
Maybe she’s ashamed about it. If this is happening a lot, it may be time for you to recommend a hearing exam.
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, pay attention.
Also, if she’s straining to hear phone calls you should take note.
Is she griping about people muttering or talking low constantly? Is she requesting that people repeat themselves? It’s time for a compassionate talk about the advantages of hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling strained
Researchers have found that couples, where one has hearing loss, have about 50% more quarrels. They might argue about what one of them may or may not have said, the volume of the TV, or other misunderstandings.
In general, there’s just more stress in a household when somebody can’t hear. Their hearing loss is stressful. And their refusal to seek out help is frustrating to others. This brings about lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart or alone.
This can cause permanent damage to the relationship and the couple frequently doesn’t even comprehend that hearing loss is the reason. It’s important to get the proper help because even moderate hearing loss can strain relationships.
The simple act of getting a hearing test can give you a totally new perspective on your relationship, whether you’re dealing with a spouse, sibling, or dear friend. Encourage your loved one to call for an appointment.
Individuals who discover they need hearing aids and use them say they’d never go back. Typically, they wish they would have done it sooner. Their overall quality of life will be significantly enhanced.
It can be a difficult conversation to have. But when your loved one finally gets the help they require it will all have been worth it.
Need more helpful ideas about how to handle your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us right away!
