It’s a common first response – denial. Of course, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as bad as it seems. She’s too young to need a hearing aid.
Maybe, it’s become a joke between both of you. 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 wonder if she’s just disregarding you or if she may actually be having some legit hearing trouble.
It’s time to be supportive and make certain your loved one gets the care they need to continue to live a happy, healthy, active lifestyle even into their senior years.
If someone you know needs hearing aids they will probably be showing these 4 common symptoms.
1. She seems exhausted, especially in public
Perhaps you believe that it just normally occurs when you get older. Your loved one used to have a lot more energy. You try to relate when she says that she’s not going out tonight.
Then she begins missing meetings with a hobby group, organization, or club that she’s always loved, even when they get together virtually, and you start to realize something could be wrong. Loud noise seems to sap your loved one’s energy. This is especially true if they are in a situation where there is more than one conversation going on, or there’s a lot of background noise.
Additional energy is needed to hear and understand what people are saying when somebody is coping with hearing problems. They often have to draw this energy from other functions in the brain such as memory, speaking, and moving.
This use of additional energy is actually exhausting the brain not strengthening it. In social situations, fatigue will often seem to shut your loved one down.
If you’re not going through the same thing, don’t assume you can relate to what she’s dealing with. Her feelings may be due to a number of factors. 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
Often, you will notice this symptom first. They can’t seem to watch TV or play music at a healthy volume.
You go into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just walked into a theater. You suddenly get the impulse 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 outdoors.
She might turn it down when you inform her it’s too loud. But it turns out, she turned closed captions on.
She might not want to admit that she actually can’t hear the TV. It’s probably time for you to suggest 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 focused on a movie, then it may be nothing. But you should pay closer attention if this is occurring frequently.
Similarly, pay attention if she seems to have a lot of trouble hearing when she’s on the phone.
Is she constantly aggravated because she thinks people are talking too low or mumbling? Is she asking people to repeat themselves? It’s time for a compassionate chat about the benefits of hearing aids.
4. You’re feeling a tension in the relationship
Couples argue two times as much when one of them has 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 misconceptions.
When somebody isn’t able to hear, there will be much more tension in a household. Their hearing loss is stressful. And their refusal to get help is frustrating to others. This leads to lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
This can cause permanent damage to the relationship and the couple frequently doesn’t even realize that hearing loss is the reason. It’s important to get the proper help because even moderate hearing loss can strain relationships.
Simply getting a hearing test can give you a completely 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.
If somebody has hearing loss, hearing aids can improve their lives and most will say they would never go back. As a matter of fact, they regret they didn’t get them sooner. Their general quality of life will be greatly enhanced.
It can be a challenging talk to have. But when your loved one finally finds the help they require it will all have been worth it.
Call us right away and let us help you with some ideas about how to address your loved one’s hearing loss!