Denial is a typical first response. My loved one must be simply making it seem like their hearing loss is more severe than it really is. She’s not old enough for a hearing aid.
Maybe, the both of you have begun to joke around with each other about it. She is always asking you to repeat what you said. You joke about it like it’s just a game. But it’s beginning to become less and less funny. You’re starting to believe that perhaps your spouse, brother, or parent is either dismissing you or really having difficulty hearing.
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 life even into their older age.
Here are 4 common signs that somebody you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She’s more tired than usual particularly when you go out
Perhaps you think that it just ordinarily happens when you get older. Your loved one just doesn’t have as much energy as they once did. You try to understand when she says that she’s not going out tonight.
Then she starts missing meetings with a hobby group, organization, or club that she’s always loved, even when they get together virtually, and you begin to realize something could be wrong. Loud noise seems to deplete 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.
People who are struggling to hear put excess energy toward understanding people around them. They frequently have to pull this energy from other functions in the brain such as memory, speaking, and moving.
This use of extra energy is actually exhausting the brain not strengthening it. Your loved one will often seem to shut down with exhaustion in social settings.
If you aren’t personally experiencing the same thing, don’t assume you can relate to what she’s dealing with. It may be a combination of things. In order to get to the bottom of the problem, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing test.
2. She always turns the TV up really loud
Often, you will identify this symptom first. Whenever they play music or watch TV, they crank it up really loud.
Your living room sounds like a cinema. 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 suggest that the TV is too loud, she may chuckle and lower the volume. But actually, she turned closed captions on.
She might not want to admit that she really can’t hear the TV. If this is occurring a lot, it may be time for you to recommend a hearing exam.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
If you’re in a really loud setting like a concert or movie theater or she’s really focused on a movie, then it might be nothing. But you should be mindful if this is occurring often.
Likewise, take notice if she seems to have a lot of trouble hearing when she’s on the phone.
Is she constantly frustrated because she thinks people are speaking too quietly or muttering? Does she regularly need people to repeat what they said? If so, it’s time to have that loving chat about how much better life is with hearing aids.
4. You’re feeling a rift in the relationship
Couples argue twice as much when one of them is dealing with hearing loss, according to research. These arguments might be about TV volume, misunderstandings, or what one says 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 upset when they won’t go in for help. This often results in people choosing to spend more time alone because of more hurt feelings.
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.
Simply getting a hearing exam can give you a completely new perspective on your relationship, whether you’re talking about a spouse, sibling, or dear friend. Speak with your loved one about getting their hearing assessed.
If somebody has hearing loss, hearing aids can change their lives and most will state they would never go back. In fact, they regret they didn’t get them sooner. Their overall quality of life will be significantly enhanced.
It can be a challenging talk to have. But the challenge of this discussion is worth it when your loved one finally gets the assistance they need.
Need more helpful ideas about how to handle your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us right away!