It’s a normal first response – denial. Of course, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as bad as it seems. She’s not old enough for a hearing aid.
It’s possible, the both of you have started to kid around with one another about it. Your loved one constantly asks you to speak up. You laugh about it like it’s simply a game. But it’s starting 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 difficulty hearing.
It’s time to be supportive and make certain your loved one gets the care they need to keep living a happy, healthy, active lifestyle well into their senior years.
Here are 4 prevalent indications that someone you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She seems fatigued, particularly in public
You may believe it’s just a sign of aging. Your loved one just doesn’t have as much energy as they used to. You try to understand 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 enjoyed, even when they get together virtually, and you start to recognize something could be wrong. Loud noise seems to sap your loved one’s energy. If there is lots of background noise, or if more than one conversation is taking place simultaneously, this is particularly true.
Extra energy is needed to hear and comprehend what people are saying when somebody is struggling with hearing problems. They often have to draw this energy from other brain functions like memory, speaking, and moving.
Utilizing this extra brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just makes it tired. In social situations, fatigue will often seem to shut your loved one down.
If you’re not personally experiencing the same thing, don’t assume you can relate to what she’s going through. Her feelings might be attributable to numerous factors. In order to get to the bottom of the problem, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing test.
2. She always cranks the TV up too loud
This is often one of the first signs that you might perceive in another person. They can’t seem to watch TV or play music at a normal volume.
You go into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just walked into a movie theater. You feel like you should have some popcorn, but it’s just your loved one blowing your ears out with the TV. You can even hear it from outdoors.
She might turn it down when you tell her it’s too loud. But actually, she turned closed captions on.
She might not want to acknowledge that she really can’t hear the TV. If this is occurring a lot, it might be time for you to recommend a hearing test.
3. She often needs people to repeat what they said
If you’re in a really loud environment like a concert or theater or she’s really focused on a movie, then it might be nothing. But you should pay closer attention if this is occurring often.
Likewise, 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 requesting that people 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 is dealing with hearing loss, according to research. These quarrels may be about TV volume, misunderstandings, or what one claims the other person did or didn’t say.
In general, there’s just more stress in a household when somebody can’t hear. They get frustrated about their hearing loss. Others get frustrated when they won’t go in for help. This brings about lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
Many couples don’t realize 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.
The simple act of getting a hearing exam can give you a totally new perspective on your relationship, whether you’re talking about a spouse, sister, or dear friend. Talk to your loved one about getting their hearing assessed.
Individuals who realize they need hearing aids and use them say they’d never go back. Normally, they wish they wouldn’t have waited so long. They feel happier, healthier, and more energetic.
It can be a challenging conversation to have. But the challenge of this conversation is worth it when your loved one finally gets the assistance they need.
Call us right away and let us help you with some ideas about how to address your loved one’s hearing loss!