It’s a common first response – denial. Surely, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as advanced as it seems. She’s not old enough for a hearing aid.
Perhaps, it’s become a joke between the two of you. Your loved one always asks you to speak up. It’s just a game. You laugh about it. 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 trouble hearing.
You want your loved one to have a healthy, energetic, and happy life for many years so it’s probably time to be supportive and help them find the appropriate help.
If somebody you know needs hearing aids they will probably be exhibiting these 4 prevalent symptoms.
1. She’s more drained than usual especially when you go out
Maybe you think that it just ordinarily happens when you age. Your loved one really doesn’t have as much energy as they used to. When she says she just doesn’t feel like going out tonight, you try to understand.
Then she begins skipping meetings with a hobby group, organization, or club that she’s always enjoyed, even when they get together virtually, and you start to realize something may be wrong. Loud noise seems to sap your loved one’s energy. If there is a lot of background noise, or if more than one conversation is taking place at the same time, 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 brain functions like memory, speaking, and moving.
Utilizing this additional brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just makes it tired. Your loved one will frequently seem to shut down with exhaustion in social settings.
Don’t assume you understand what she’s experiencing. It could be a mix of things. In order to get to the root of the problem, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing test.
2. She always cranks the TV up too loud
Often, you will notice this symptom first. They can’t seem to watch TV or play music at a normal volume.
Your living room sounds like a cinema. You instantly get the impulse to make some popcorn, except you find that she’s just watching a reality show or documentary at a volume that almost makes you cringe. Your neighbors are even able to hear it.
When you suggest that the TV is too loud, she might laugh and turn it down. But it turns out, she turned on closed captions.
Maybe she’s ashamed about it. It’s probably time for you to suggest a hearing exam if this is a frequent thing.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
If you’re in a really loud environment like a concert or theater or she’s really concentrated on a movie, then it might be nothing. If it’s happening more frequently than that, pay attention.
Likewise, pay attention if she seems to have a lot of difficulty hearing when she’s on the phone.
Is she griping about people mumbling or low-talking constantly? Does she frequently need people to repeat what they said? It’s time for a compassionate talk about the benefits of hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling strained
Couples argue two times as much when one of them has hearing loss, according to research. These quarrels may center around TV volume, misconceptions, or what one says the other person may or may not have said.
When somebody isn’t able to hear, there will be much more tension in a household. They get frustrated about their hearing loss. Others get upset when they won’t get help. This leads to lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
This can lead to permanent damage to the relationship and the couple often doesn’t even comprehend that hearing loss is the cause. It’s important to get the proper help because even moderate hearing loss can strain relationships.
The simple act of getting a hearing test can give you a completely new perspective on your relationship, whether you’re talking about a spouse, sibling, or dear friend. Encourage your loved one to call for an appointment.
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. They feel healthier, happier, and more active.
It’s not a comfortable conversation to have. But the difficulty of this conversation is worth it when your loved one finally finds the assistance they need.
Call us today and let us help you with some ideas about how to tackle your loved one’s hearing loss!
