Denial is a common first response. My loved one must be simply making it seem like their hearing loss is worse than it really is. She’s not old enough for a hearing aid.
Maybe, the two of you have started to kid around with each other about it. She is always asking you to repeat what you said. You joke about it like it’s just a game. But it’s starting to become less and less funny. You wonder if she’s just disregarding you or if she might actually be having some genuine hearing trouble.
It’s time to be supportive and make sure your loved one gets the care they need to keep living a happy, healthy, active life even into their older age.
Here are 4 prevalent signs that someone you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She’s more tired than normal particularly when you go out
Maybe you think that it just normally happens when you get older. Your loved one really doesn’t have as much energy as they used to. You try to understand when she says that won’t be going out tonight.
Then she begins skipping meetings with a hobby group, organization, or club that she’s always enjoyed, even when they get together virtually, and you start to realize something may be wrong. Your loved one’s energy seems to be drained by loud environments. This is particularly true if they’re in a situation where there is more than one conversation happening, or there’s lots of background noise.
Extra energy is required to hear and comprehend what people are saying when someone is struggling with hearing issues. As a result, energy is transferred from other essential brain functions like physical mobility, memory, and speaking.
Utilizing this extra brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just makes it tired. Your loved one will often seem to shut down with fatigue in social situations.
If you aren’t personally experiencing the same thing, don’t presume you can relate to what she’s going through. It could be a mix of things. In order to get to the root of the issue, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing exam.
2. She always cranks the TV up really loud
This is often one of the first indications that you might notice in another person. Whenever they play music or watch TV, they turn it up very loud.
Your living room sounds like a cinema. You suddenly get the urge to make some popcorn, except you find 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 might turn it down when you inform her it’s too loud. Then you realize that she just switched on the captions.
She may not want to acknowledge that she actually can’t hear the TV. If this is happening a lot, it may be time for you to suggest a hearing exam.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
It may not be an issue if you are in a really loud setting or she’s really zoned in on something. But you should pay closer attention if this is occurring frequently.
Also, if she’s struggling to hear phone conversations you should take note.
Is she always frustrated because she thinks people are talking too low or mumbling? Does she frequently need people to repeat what they said? It’s time for a compassionate talk about the benefits of hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling tense
Researchers have revealed that couples, where one has hearing loss, have about 50% more arguments. These arguments might center around TV volume, misunderstandings, or what one says the other person did or didn’t say.
When somebody can’t hear, there will be much more stress in a household. They get aggravated about their hearing loss. Others get upset when they won’t get help. This leads to lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
Many couples don’t realize that hearing loss is the cause, and this can harm their relationship irreparably. It’s important to get the proper help because even moderate hearing loss can strain relationships.
Whether it’s a friend, sibling, or partner, you can get new perspective on your relationships by getting a simple hearing test. Encourage your loved one to call for an appointment.
If someone 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. Their overall quality of life will be significantly enhanced.
It’s not an easy talk to have. But the difficulty of this conversation is worth it when your loved one finally finds the assistance they need.
Need more practical ideas about how to handle your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us today!