Denial is a typical first response. My loved one must be just making it seem as if their hearing loss is worse than it actually is. She’s too young to need a hearing aid.
Perhaps, it’s become a joke between both of you. She is always asking you to repeat what you said. You joke about it as if it’s just a game. But it’s beginning to become less and less funny. You’re beginning to believe that maybe your spouse, brother, or parent is either ignoring you or actually having trouble hearing.
You want your loved one to have a healthy, active, and joyful life for years to come so it’s probably time to be encouraging and help them find the correct help.
Here are 4 common signals that somebody you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She’s more tired than normal particularly when you go out
Perhaps you think that it just normally happens when you age. Your loved one used to have much more energy. When she says she isn’t feeling like going out tonight, you try to understand.
Then she starts skipping meetings with a hobby group, organization, or club that she’s always enjoyed, even when they meet virtually, and you begin to recognize something may be wrong. Your loved one’s energy seems to be depleted by loud environments. This is especially true if they’re in a situation where there is more than one discussion going on, or there’s lots of background noise.
Individuals who are straining to hear put excess energy toward comprehending those around them. As a result, energy is transferred from other essential brain functions like physical mobility, memory, and talking.
Using this extra brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just tires it out. Your loved one will frequently seem to shut down with exhaustion in social situations.
If you aren’t going through the same thing, don’t presume you can relate to what she’s going through. Her feelings may be attributable to numerous factors. In order to get to the root of the issue, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing test.
2. She likes the TV LOUD
Frequently, you will identify this symptom first. They can’t seem to watch TV or play music at a normal volume.
Your living room sounds like a cinema. 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. Your neighbors are even able to hear it.
She may turn it down when you inform her it’s too loud. Then you notice that she just switched on the captions.
She might not want to acknowledge that she really can’t hear the TV. It’s likely time for you to recommend a hearing assessment if this is a regular thing.
3. She frequently needs people to repeat themselves
If you’re in a really loud environment like a concert or movie theater or she’s really concentrated on a movie, then it may be nothing. But you should pay closer attention if this is occurring often.
Likewise, pay attention if she seems to have a lot of difficulty hearing when she’s on the phone.
Is she constantly frustrated because she thinks people are speaking too quietly or mumbling? Does she regularly need people to repeat what they said? If so, it’s time to have that loving discussion about how much better life is with hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling tense
Researchers have discovered that couples, where one is dealing with hearing loss, have around 50% more arguments. These arguments might be about TV volume, misconceptions, or what one claims the other person may or may not have said.
In general, there’s just more stress in a household when someone can’t hear. Their hearing loss is frustrating. Others get frustrated when they won’t go in for help. This leads to lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
This can cause irreversible harm to the relationship and the couple often doesn’t even recognize 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 exam can give you a totally new perspective on your relationship, whether you’re dealing with a spouse, sister, or dear friend. Speak with your loved one about getting their hearing assessed.
Individuals who realize they need hearing aids and use them say they’d never go back. Typically, they wish they wouldn’t have waited so long. They feel healthier, happier, and more active.
It can be a challenging talk to have. But when your loved one finally gets the help they need it will all have been worth it.
Need more useful ideas about how to handle your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us today!