Denial is a typical first reaction. Of course, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as advanced as it seems. She’s too young to require a hearing aid.
Maybe, the both of you have started to joke around with each other about it. Your loved one constantly asks you to speak up. You laugh about it like it’s just a game. But this game is getting old quickly. You’re starting to believe that maybe your partner, brother, or parent is either ignoring you or really having difficulty hearing.
It’s time to be supportive and make sure your loved one gets the care they need to continue to live a happy, healthy, active life even into their older age.
If somebody you know needs hearing aids they will probably be showing these 4 common signs.
1. She’s more tired than usual particularly when you go out
You may think it’s simply a sign of getting older. Your loved one used to have a lot more energy. When she says she isn’t feeling like going out tonight, you try to be patient.
You really start to think that something isn’t right when she starts missing meetings with clubs, organizations, and hobby groups she’s always loved. Your loved one’s energy seems to be drained by loud environments. This is especially true if they are in a situation where there’s more than one discussion going on, or there’s lots of background noise.
Individuals who are straining to hear put excess energy toward understanding people around them. They often have to pull this energy from other brain functions such as memory, talking, and moving.
Using this additional brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just makes it tired. Your loved one will frequently seem to shut down with exhaustion in social settings.
If you’re not personally experiencing the same thing, don’t presume you can relate to what she’s going through. Her feelings might be attributable to numerous factors. But ask questions. Get to the base cause and recommend that she gets her hearing tested.
2. She always turns the TV up really loud
This is often one of the first indications that you may identify in another person. Whenever they play music or watch TV, they crank it up really loud.
You walk into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just walked into a theater. You suddenly get the urge to make some popcorn, except you realize 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 outside.
She may turn it down when you tell her it’s too loud. Then you notice that she just switched on the captions.
She may not want to admit that she really can’t hear the TV. It’s likely time for you to suggest a hearing assessment if this is a frequent thing.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
If you’re in a really loud environment like a concert or movie theater or she’s really focused on a movie, then it may be nothing. But you should pay closer attention if this is occurring often.
Furthermore, if she’s straining to hear phone calls you should pay attention.
Is she complaining about people mumbling or talking low constantly? Is she asking people to repeat themselves? It’s time for a compassionate chat about the advantages of hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling strained
Couples argue twice as much when one of them has hearing loss, according to research. They may 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 a lot more stress in a household. Their hearing loss is stressful. And their refusal to get help is stressful to others. This brings about lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
Many couples don’t recognize that hearing loss is the trigger, 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 simply getting a hearing test. Encourage your loved one to call for an appointment.
People who recognize they need hearing aids and use them say they’d never go back. As a matter of fact, they regret they didn’t get them sooner. They feel healthier, happier, and more energetic.
It can be a challenging conversation 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!