It’s a common first reaction – denial. Surely, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as bad as it seems. She’s too young to require a hearing aid.
Maybe, it’s become a joke between both of you. Your loved one always asks you to speak up. You joke about it like it’s just a game. But it’s starting to become less and less humorous. You’re beginning to believe that perhaps your spouse, brother, or parent is either ignoring you or really having trouble hearing.
It’s time to be supportive and make sure your loved one receives the care they need to continue to live a happy, healthy, active life even into their senior years.
If someone you know needs hearing aids they will probably be showing these 4 common signs.
1. She’s more tired than usual especially when you go out
Maybe you believe that it just normally happens when you age. Your loved one just doesn’t have as much energy as they used to. When she says she isn’t feeling like going out tonight, you try to understand.
Then she begins skipping meetings with a hobby group, organization, or club that she’s always loved, even when they meet virtually, and you start to recognize something could be wrong. Your loved one’s energy seems to be exhausted by loud environments. If there is lots of background noise, or if more than one conversation is taking place simultaneously, this is especially true.
Individuals who are struggling to hear put excessive energy toward understanding those around them. Consequently, energy is taken from other important brain functions like physical mobility, memory, and talking.
This use of extra energy is actually exhausting the brain not strengthening it. In social settings, fatigue will often seem to shut your loved one down.
Don’t presume you know what she’s experiencing. It may be a combination of things. In order to get to the bottom of the issue, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing exam.
2. She watches the TV LOUD
This is often one of the first signs that you might notice in another person. They can’t seem to watch TV or play music at a healthy volume.
You walk into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just walked into a movie theater. You instantly get the impulse to make some popcorn, except you find that she’s just watching a reality show or documentary at a volume that almost blows your ears out. You can even hear it from outdoors.
When you suggest that the TV is too loud, she may chuckle and lower the volume. Then you realize that she just switched on the captions.
Maybe she’s ashamed about it. If this is happening a lot, it may be time for you to recommend a hearing assessment.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
If you’re in a really loud setting like a concert or movie theater or she’s really focused on a movie, then it may be nothing. If it’s happening more often than that, pay attention.
Also, if she’s struggling to hear phone calls you should take note.
Is she always annoyed because she thinks people are talking too low or muttering? Is she requesting that people repeat themselves? If so, it’s time to have that loving conversation about how much more enjoyable life is with hearing aids.
4. You’re feeling a tension in the relationship
Couples argue twice as much when one of them is dealing with hearing loss, according to research. They might argue about what one of them did or didn’t say, the volume of the TV, or other misunderstandings.
Overall, there’s just more tension in a household when someone can’t hear. They get aggravated about their hearing loss. Others get frustrated when they won’t go in for help. This frequently leads to people choosing to spend more time apart due to more hurt feelings.
Many couples don’t realize that hearing loss is the cause, and this can damage their relationship irreparably. 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. 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. As a matter of fact, they regret they didn’t get them sooner. They feel happier, healthier, and more active.
It’s not a comfortable talk to have. But the difficulty of this discussion is worth it when your loved one finally finds the help they need.
Need more helpful ideas about how to handle your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us right away!