It’s a normal first response – denial. My loved one must be just making it seem as if their hearing loss is worse than it really is. She’s not old enough to need a hearing aid.
It’s possible, the both of you have begun to joke around with one another about it. Your loved one always asks you to repeat yourself. You joke about it like it’s just a game. But it’s beginning to become less and less humorous. You’re starting to believe that perhaps your spouse, sibling, or parent is either ignoring you or really having difficulty hearing.
You want your loved one to have a healthy, active, and happy life for many years so it’s likely time to be encouraging and help them seek out the appropriate help.
Here are 4 common signs that someone you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She seems exhausted, particularly in public
You may think it’s just an indication of aging. Your loved one really doesn’t have as much energy as they once did. When she says she just doesn’t feel like going out tonight, you try to be patient.
Then she begins skipping meetings with a hobby group, organization, or club that she’s always enjoyed, even when they meet virtually, and you begin to realize something may be wrong. Your loved one’s energy seems to be drained by loud environments. If there is lots of background noise, or if more than one conversation is happening at the same time, this is especially true.
Extra energy is needed to hear and comprehend what people are saying when somebody is dealing with hearing problems. They frequently have to pull this energy from other brain functions like memory, speaking, and moving.
Utilizing this additional brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just tires it out. In social settings, fatigue will often seem to shut your loved one down.
If you aren’t personally experiencing the same thing, don’t presume you can relate to what she’s dealing with. It could be a mix of things. In order to get to the bottom of the problem, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing exam.
2. She watches the TV LOUD
Frequently, you will identify this symptom first. Whenever they play music or watch TV, they crank it up really loud.
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 outside.
When you say that the TV is too loud, she may laugh and turn it down. But it turns out, she turned on closed captions.
Perhaps she’s embarrassed about it. If this is happening a lot, it might be time for you to recommend a hearing test.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
It may not be an issue if you are in a very loud environment or she’s really zoned in on something. But you should pay closer attention if this is happening often.
Also, if she’s struggling to hear phone conversations you should take note.
Is she always aggravated because she thinks people are talking too low or muttering? Does she frequently need people to repeat what they said? It’s time for a compassionate chat about the advantages of hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling tense
Couples argue two times as much when one of them is dealing with hearing loss, according to research. These quarrels might center around TV volume, misunderstandings, or what one claims the other person did or didn’t say.
When somebody isn’t able to hear, there will be a lot more stress in a household. Their hearing loss is frustrating. Others get frustrated when they won’t get help. This frequently leads to people deciding to spend more time apart due to more hurt feelings.
Many couples don’t recognize that hearing loss is the trigger, and this can harm their relationship irreparably. Even moderate hearing loss can strain a relationship, so it pays to get it checked out.
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 schedule an appointment.
If somebody has hearing loss, hearing aids can change their lives and most will state they would never go back. Normally, they wish they would have done it sooner. Their general quality of life will be significantly improved.
It can be a challenging conversation to have. But the challenge of this discussion is worth it when your loved one finally gets the help they need.
Call us right away and let us help you with some ideas about how to address your loved one’s hearing loss!