How to Support a Loved One Who’s Struggling with Hearing Loss

If you have a loved one who’s struggling with hearing loss, you may be wondering what you can do to help support them. Dealing with hearing loss can be a challenging and emotional experience for both you and your loved one as you adjust to these changes. Fortunately, there are many ways to support someone with hearing loss, helping to create an inclusive environment for your loved ones.

Communication Tips for Hearing Loss

Communication is essential for daily interaction, but it can become more challenging when your loved one is experiencing hearing loss. Some strategies you can employ to modify your communication techniques with these individuals include:

• Enunciate clearly – Speaking clearly is the first step in helping to communicate with a loved one with hearing loss. For the individual with hearing loss, it may sound like everything is muffled, so clearly enunciating can help them understand what you’re saying. Speak slowly and don’t be afraid to repeat or rephrase yourself.
• Speak face to face – Facing your loved one allows them to use visual cues to help understand what you’re saying based on facial expressions and how your mouth is moving.
• Adapt to their hearing needs – As you understand more about your loved one’s hearing loss, you may be able to adapt your communication style accordingly. For instance, you may notice that communication is more difficult when there’s a lot of background noise. In these cases, be aware of ambient noise and make an effort to find quiet areas for clear communication. Additionally, if your loved one’s hearing loss affects one ear more than the other, you can adapt by speaking closer to the side that hears better.

Helping Loved Ones Seek Treatment for Hearing Loss

Untreated hearing loss can have a negative impact on an individual’s life. It’s associated with various mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and self-isolation. Because of the negative impacts of hearing loss, it’s important to encourage your loved one to seek treatment.

The first step in addressing hearing loss is to undergo a complete hearing evaluation. This involves discussing current symptoms, reviewing their medical history, and completing a set of audiometric tests. With a comprehensive hearing evaluation, the hearing specialist can then help your loved one explore various solutions, such as different types of hearing aids, that may help improve their hearing.

Your Source for Complete Hearing Evaluations & Hearing Aids

If you or a loved one is experiencing hearing loss, help is available. At Autumn Oak Speech, Voice, and Hearing, we offer a wide range of services and solutions for individuals with hearing loss. Based in Friendswood, Texas, and serving individuals throughout the surrounding communities, we’re here to support your hearing health. Contact us today to learn more about helping loved ones with hearing loss. We’d be happy to schedule an appointment for a complete hearing evaluation and to discuss treatment options.