Sometimes the greatest gift you can offer is advice and a little persuasion. If you’ve noticed that a parent or partner is struggling with a hearing loss, take the time to talk to them about it.
Maybe dad has started missing family parties because he can’t hear what people are saying. Maybe your partner turns the TV volume up louder than they should. Maybe mum always has to ask others to repeat themselves.
If someone close to you has untreated hearing loss, it’s natural to want to help them and urge them to have their hearing checked by a professional audiologist.
Defensiveness is normal
Hearing loss can be emotionally similar to losing anything else that’s important in a person’s life. Your loved one might be going through the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance), so it’s natural for them to be defensive or upset at the idea of recognising their hearing loss.
You won’t be able to force someone to get a hearing test just because you want them to get one, so your best technique will be one that’s gentle, empathetic and patient. Convincing anyone to get that test is easier said than done. So, what can you do? How can you help?
Annual hearing tests are recommended for everyone
Just like you have annual check-ups with your GP and teeth cleanings with your dentist, you should have annual hearing screenings with a professional audiologist. That way, you can track your hearing ability and notice any changes that come up.
Since hearing loss often occurs gradually and subtly, annual screenings are the best way to monitor changes and act on any hearing difficulties as soon as possible.
If your loved one doesn’t believe they have hearing loss, this perspective might help get them into a professional’s office. If you show them that hearing tests are for everyone, not just people who definitively have hearing loss, it could be easier to convince them to make an appointment.
What they risk by waiting
On average, people with hearing loss wait over seven years before they visit a hearing healthcare professional in order to address it. This is not a good idea.
Untreated hearing loss has been linked to other health issues, such as heart disease, dementia, and depression. Plus, a person’s quality of life often worsens when they can’t fully engage in the world around them; relationships are strained, feelings of isolation set in, and earning power may even decrease.
In almost all cases, untreated hearing loss worsens over time. And once your hearing is gone, it can never be restored. In regard to hearing and speech recognition, if you don’t use it, you lose it. When your brain becomes accustomed to not fully processing words and sounds, it loses its ability to do so. Research also shows that untreated hearing loss actually causes brain tissue to shrink.
Hopefully, explaining these risks to your loved one will create a sense of urgency, and they’ll decide to make an appointment.
Prepare for objections
Many people with untreated hearing loss have similar reasons for not wanting to address it. If you’re aware of these common objections, you can prepare an appropriate response. Consider these three:
- I’m too young: Hearing loss can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, or any other factors. It’s true that developing hearing difficulties is often a natural result of the aging process, but so is worsening eyesight and increasingly grey hair. We all know that these things happen to different people at different ages, and hearing loss is the same way.
Plus, age isn’t the only reason someone might develop hearing difficulties. For example, noise-induced hearing loss comes from excessive exposure to sound at high volumes.
- Hearing aids are more trouble than they’re worth: Some people think that wearing a hearing aid will get in the way of their lifestyle, or require a lot of maintenance. This isn’t the case. Hearing aids come in many different styles and technology levels. There are even water-resistant hearing aids!
Today’s devices automatically change their own settings depending on the person’s environment. Many report that they forget they’re wearing their devices because they integrate so seamlessly with their lives.
- Wearing a hearing aid is embarrassing: Some people are embarrassed to wear a hearing aid, whether it’s because they think it makes them seem “old” or because they don’t want others to perceive them negatively.
However, asking others to repeat themselves all the time is a much more obvious and disruptive indication of hearing loss than wearing hearing aids would be. What’s more, they’d be missing out on important life moments and relationships.
Let them know they’re not alone
The internet is full of articles about the prevalence of hearing loss and the benefits of addressing it with hearing aids. Show some of these articles to your loved one so they can see that others have found success and happiness after getting their hearing tested.
There are also quite a few celebrities and athletes who are outspoken about their own hearing loss. They may feel a little better about getting a hearing test after they learn that one of their favourite stars went through the same thing.
Have your hearing tested too
Everybody needs an annual hearing test, right?
Even if you don’t think you have hearing loss yourself, you can never truly be sure until you get your hearing tested. Hearing loss happens over time, and you might not even notice it in the beginning.
If you go and get your hearing tested alongside your loved one, it might help your loved one feel more comfortable with the process. Plus, this will hopefully help them see that you’re truly dedicated to their happiness and wellbeing.
Don’t be the only voice that speaks up
It's hard to convince someone that they need a hearing test if you're the only one saying so. Recruit other friends and family members to help you in your cause. Ideally, they'll be touched by the way everyone around them is looking out for their best interests and agree to get a hearing test.
Call Audiology Medical Services and get advice
Our audiologists are professionally trained and work in the most modern technology-led clinics in Ireland. We would be happy to offer some handy tips and talking points to help convince someone to come and see us for a quick and pain free test.
Let us help
Audiology Medical Services
Audiology Medical Services has dedicated paediatric centres across the country. They provide an expert, comprehensive child-centred and family-friendly diagnostic audiological assessment of infants, children and adolescents.
They are also the only company in Ireland with state-of-the-art multi-sensory sound rooms. These audiometric booths have been specially designed to provide the most accurate assessment possible, enabling trained staff to give the very best consultation for your child.
For more information, or to book an assessment, visit www.audiologymedicalservices.ie, or phone 1800 501 501
0 Comments
Add Comment