It’s a common first reaction – denial. Of course, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as bad as it seems. She’s too young to need a hearing aid.
It’s possible, 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 only a game. You joke about it. But it’s beginning to become less and less funny. You’re beginning to think that perhaps your partner, sibling, or parent is either dismissing you or really having difficulty hearing.
It’s time to be supportive and make certain your loved one gets the care they need to continue to live a happy, healthy, active lifestyle well into their older age.
Here are 4 prevalent signs that someone you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She’s more drained than usual particularly when you go out
You may think it’s just an indication of getting older. Your loved one used to have a lot more energy. You try to relate when she says that won’t be going out tonight.
You really begin to suspect that something isn’t right when she starts skipping meetings with clubs, organizations, and hobby groups she’s always enjoyed. Loud noise seems to deplete your loved one’s energy. If there is a lot of background noise, or if more than one conversation is taking place at the same time, this is especially true.
Additional energy is required to hear and comprehend what people are saying when someone is dealing with hearing problems. Consequently, energy is transferred from other important brain functions like physical movement, memory, and speaking.
Using this additional brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just makes it tired. In social situations, fatigue will often seem to shut your loved one down.
Don’t assume you understand what she’s dealing with. Her feelings may be attributable to a number of factors. In order to get to the bottom of the issue, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing exam.
2. She always turns the TV up too loud
This is frequently one of the first signs that you might notice in another person. Whenever they listen to music or watch TV, they turn it up really loud.
Your living room sounds like a cinema. 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 makes you cringe. Your neighbors can even hear it.
She may turn it down when you tell her it’s too loud. Then you notice that she just turned on the captions.
Perhaps she’s embarrassed about it. If this is occurring a lot, it might be time for you to suggest a hearing test.
3. She frequently needs people to repeat what they said
It might not be an issue if you are in a really loud setting or she’s really focused on something. But you should be mindful if this is happening often.
Similarly, pay attention if she seems to have a lot of trouble hearing when she’s using the phone.
Is she complaining about people muttering or low-talking constantly? Is she asking people to repeat themselves? It’s time for a compassionate chat about the advantages of hearing aids.
4. You’re feeling a tension in the relationship
Researchers have found that couples, where one has hearing loss, have about 50% more quarrels. They may argue about what one of them did or didn’t say, the volume of the TV, or other misunderstandings.
Overall, 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 leads to lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart or alone.
This can cause permanent harm to the relationship and the couple frequently doesn’t even comprehend 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 simply getting a hearing test. Speak with 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. Typically, they wish they would have done it sooner. They feel happier, healthier, and more energetic.
It can be a difficult talk 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!
