Denial is a common first response. My loved one must be simply making it seem like their hearing loss is more severe than it actually is. She’s not old enough for a hearing aid.
Maybe, it’s become a joke between the two of you. She is always requesting that you repeat what you said. You joke about it as if it’s simply a game. But it’s starting to become less and less humorous. You wonder if she’s just disregarding you or if she may actually be having some genuine hearing trouble.
It’s time to be supportive and make certain your loved one gets the care they need to keep living a happy, healthy, active lifestyle even into their senior years.
Here are 4 common signs that someone you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She appears to be exhausted, especially in public
Perhaps you believe that it just normally happens when you age. Your loved one just doesn’t have as much energy as they once did. You try to relate when she says that won’t be going out tonight.
You really start to think that something isn’t right when she begins skipping meetings with clubs, organizations, and hobby groups she’s always enjoyed. Loud noise seems to sap your loved one’s energy. This is especially true if they’re in a situation where there is more than one discussion going on, or there’s a lot of background noise.
People who are struggling to hear put excessive energy toward understanding those around them. As a result, energy is transferred from other essential brain functions like physical movement, memory, and talking.
This use of extra energy is actually exhausting the brain not strengthening it. Your loved one will frequently seem to shut down with fatigue in social settings.
If you’re not personally experiencing the same thing, don’t presume you can relate to what she’s dealing with. It could be a combination of things. 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 frequently one of the first indications that you might perceive in another person. They can’t seem to watch TV or listen to music at a healthy volume.
You go into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just walked into a movie theater. 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 outdoors.
When you suggest that the TV is too loud, she might laugh and lower the volume. But actually, she turned closed captions on.
She might not want to admit that she actually can’t hear the TV. It’s likely time for you to suggest a hearing test if this is a regular thing.
3. She often needs people to repeat themselves
It may not be an issue if you are in a very loud setting or she’s really focused on something. If it’s happening more frequently than that, pay attention.
Likewise, take notice if she seems to have a lot of difficulty hearing when she’s using the phone.
Is she always frustrated because she thinks people are speaking too low or mumbling? Is she requesting that people repeat themselves? It’s time for a compassionate talk about the benefits of hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling strained
Researchers have found that couples, where one has hearing loss, have around 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.
When someone can’t hear, there will be much more stress in a household. They get frustrated about their hearing loss. And their refusal to get help is frustrating to others. This brings about lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
This can lead to permanent damage to the relationship and the couple often doesn’t even realize that hearing loss is the reason. Even moderate hearing loss can strain a relationship, so it pays to get it checked out.
Simply getting a hearing test can give you a completely new perspective on your relationship, whether you’re talking about a spouse, sister, or dear friend. Inspire your loved one to schedule an appointment.
If somebody has hearing loss, hearing aids can change their lives and most will state they would never go back. Normally, they wish they wouldn’t have waited so long. They feel happier, healthier, and more active.
It’s not an easy talk to have. But the challenge of this discussion is worth it when your loved one finally gets the assistance they need.
Call us right away and let us help you with some ideas about how to address your loved one’s hearing loss!
