Denial is a typical first reaction. Surely, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as advanced as it seems. She’s too young to require a hearing aid.
Maybe, the both of you have begun to kid around with each other about it. Your loved one constantly asks you to speak up. You joke about it like it’s just a game. But this game is getting old quickly. You question whether she’s just ignoring you or if she might actually be having some legit hearing trouble.
You want your loved one to have a healthy, energetic, and happy life for many years so it’s likely time to be supportive and help them find the correct help.
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
You may think it’s simply a sign of getting older. Your loved one used to have much more energy. You try to understand when she says that won’t be going out tonight.
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 could be wrong. Your loved one’s energy seems to be drained by loud environments. This is especially true if they are in a situation where there’s more than one conversation happening, or there’s a lot of background noise.
Additional energy is required to hear and comprehend what people are saying when somebody is dealing with hearing issues. Consequently, energy is taken from other essential brain functions like physical movement, memory, and speaking.
Using this extra brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just makes it tired. Your loved one will frequently seem to shut down with fatigue in social situations.
Don’t assume you understand what she’s dealing with. It may be a combination of things. But ask questions. Get to the root cause and recommend that she get a hearing test.
2. She always turns the TV up too loud
This is frequently one of the first signs that you might notice in another person. Whenever they play music or watch TV, they crank it up very loud.
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 can even hear it.
When you suggest that the TV is too loud, she might laugh and turn it down. But actually, she turned on closed captions.
She might not want to acknowledge that she actually can’t hear the TV. It’s likely time for you to suggest a hearing test if this is a regular thing.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
It might not be a problem if you are in a really loud setting or she’s really focused on something. If it’s occurring more often than that, be aware.
Similarly, pay attention if she seems to have a lot of trouble hearing when she’s using the phone.
Is she constantly frustrated because she thinks people are talking too quietly or mumbling? Does she frequently 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
Researchers have discovered that couples, where one has hearing loss, have around 50% more arguments. They might argue about what one of them may or may not have said, the volume of the TV, or other misunderstandings.
In general, there’s just more tension in a household when someone can’t hear. Their hearing loss is stressful. And their refusal to seek out help is frustrating to others. This leads to lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
Many couples don’t recognize 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.
Whether it’s a friend, sibling, or partner, you can get new perspective on your relationships by getting a simple hearing test. Speak with your loved one about getting a hearing test.
People who realize they need hearing aids and wear them say they’d never go back. Usually, they wish they wouldn’t have waited so long. Their general quality of life will be significantly improved.
It can be a difficult talk to have. But when your loved one finally finds the help they need it will all have been worth it.
Need more practical ideas about how to address your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us today!