May 24, 2019
Communication is the foundation of every relationship, but if your loved one can’t hear clearly or communicate easily, will your relationship thrive? You used to share inside jokes, intimate moments, and a knowing smile over the heads of your grandchildren. But with their declining hearing health, you feel like a part of them is slipping away from you. If communication has been breaking down, you need to encourage your loved one to take a hearing test.
Social Isolation
Hearing loss doesn’t just affect the person straining to hear, it affects everyone around them. Those with hearing loss aren’t able to communicate easily, and struggle to maintain friendships. Our social lives depend on clear hearing, and if your loved one is missing half of what’s been said, it’s hard to keep up. Asking someone to repeat themselves once is ok, but when your loved one must ask over and over what’s been said, or risk mishearing and answering inappropriately, they will become uncomfortable with social situations. Those with hearing loss often choose to stay home rather than meeting friends for dinner, and risk social isolation, loneliness, and even depression.
When your loved one refuses to answer the phone because they can’t hear, or won’t order at a restaurant, communication becomes frustrating for everyone and you need to encourage your loved one to test their hearing.
Rapid Cognitive Decline
If your loved one has hearing loss, communication isn’t the only thing they’ll lose. Studies from the Johns Hopkins University have linked hearing loss with rapid cognitive decline, and if your loved one won’t seek treatment for their hearing loss, they might start losing some of the most important parts of themselves. Those with hearing loss have difficulty focusing on tasks, struggle with memory, and have a hard time concentrating. They are also at a far higher risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, and this is yet another reason to encourage your loved one to take control of their hearing health as soon as possible.
Talking About Hearing Loss
Talking to your loved one about hearing loss can be challenging. Many people don’t realize how bad their hearing is, and many are worried that if they admit that they have hearing loss, they’ll seem old. They don’t want people to treat them any differently, and don’t want to deal with hearing aids.
Be patient with your loved one, and educate them about hearing loss. They might not be willing to admit they’re struggling to hear, so give them examples of the times they haven’t heard you clearly, missed the ringing of the phone, or didn’t hear the alarm clock. Have they been turning up the volume on the TV, or struggle to hear in places with a lot of background noise? Do they ask you to repeat yourself often, and still fail to understand what’s been said?
Remind your loved one that people of all ages struggle to hear, and it has nothing to do with their age. In fact, living with untreated hearing loss will make them seem old, and a pair of sleek, sophisticated hearing aids tucked behind the ears will give them back their energy, and make them feel young again.
Encouraging Your Loved One to Take a Hearing Test with Clear Hearing and Audiology
You’ve had a few conversations about hearing loss with your loved one, and they’re finally ready to take a hearing test!
Call us today at Clear Hearing and Audiology to book the hearing test. Offer to accompany your loved one to the appointment. Two heads are better than one, and we want to make sure that your loved one has all the help and advice that they need. We’ll perform a comprehensive hearing test to determine exactly which sounds your loved one can and can’t hear, ask a few questions about their medical and hearing history, and look in their ears to check for signs of illness, infection, or earwax buildup.
After the hearing test, our team at Clear Hearing and Audiology will be able to suggest the perfect hearing device that will match their hearing needs. Your loved one will be able to hear clearly, communicate easily, and get back to doing all the things they love. Encourage your loved one to take a hearing test, and change your lives for the better.