What’s The Best Way to Discuss Hearing Loss With a Loved One?

Woman showing her mother information about hearing loss and hearing aids in the kitchen.

When your mother is always a few seconds too late to laugh at the punchline of a joke or your father quits talking on the phone because it’s too tough to hear, it’s time to talk about hearing aids. Although hearing loss is detectable in a quarter of people between the ages of 65 and 74 and 50% of individuals over 75, it can be an altogether different matter getting them to recognize their hearing issues. Most people won’t even detect how much their hearing has changed because it declines gradually. And even if they are cognizant of their hearing loss, it can be a big step getting them to acknowledge they need hearing aids. The following advice can help you frame your discussion to ensure it hits the right note.

How to Discuss Hearing Aids With a Loved One

View it as a Process, Not One Conversation

Before having the discussion, take the time to think about what you will say and how your loved one will react. When getting ready, it’s recommended to frame this as a process as opposed to a single conversation. It may take a series of discussions over weeks or months for your loved one to accept they have a hearing problem. There’s nothing wrong with that! Let the conversation have a natural flow. You really need to wait until your loved one is really comfortable with the decision before going ahead. After all, hearing aids don’t do any good if someone won’t wear them.

Pick The Right Time

Pick a time when your loved one is relaxed and by themselves. If you go with a time when other people are around you may draw too much attention to your loved one’s hearing problems and they may feel like they’re being ganged up on and attacked. A one-on-one talk with no background noise also ensures that your loved one hears you correctly and can take part in the conversation.

Be Clear And Direct in Your Approach

It’s beneficial not to be vague and unclear about your concerns. Be direct: “Mom, I’d like to speak with you concerning your hearing”. Point out situations where they’ve insisted people are mumbling, had a difficult time following tv shows or asked people to repeat themselves. Talk about how your loved one’s hearing issues impact their day-to-day life instead of emphasizing their hearing itself. You could say something like “You don’t seem to go out with your friends as much these days, could that be because you have a difficult time hearing them?”.

Be Sensitive to Their Underlying Fears And Concerns

For older adults who are more frail and deal with age-related difficulties in particular hearing loss is often associated with a broader fear of loss of independence. If your loved one is resistant to talk about hearing aids or denies the problem, attempt to understand where he or she is coming from. Acknowledge how hard this conversation can be. Waite until later if the conversation begins to go south.

Provide Help With Further Action

When both people work together you will have the most successful conversation about hearing impairment. The process of buying hearing aids can be very overwhelming and that may be one reason why they are so reluctant. Offer your support to make the transition as smooth as possible. Print out and rehearse before you talk. We can also check to see if we take your loved one’s insurance before they call. Some people may feel embarrassed about needing hearing aids so letting them know that hearing loss is more common than they think.

Realize That Hearing Aids Aren’t The End of The Process

So your talks were persuasive and your loved one has agreed to look into hearing aids. Great! But there’s more to it than that. Adjusting to life with hearing aids takes some time. Your loved one has to deal with a new device, new sounds and has to create new habits. During this period of adjustment, be an advocate. If your family member is unhappy with the hearing aids, take those issues seriously.

The site information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. To receive personalized advice or treatment, schedule an appointment.