Hearing aids can be life-changing for someone who has grown accustomed to living with hearing loss. It can be challenging for your loved one to make the initial step toward better hearing on their own. Whether they’re concerned about the image surrounding hearing aids or simply aren’t sure where to start with the plethora of styles, having an open and honest discussion with your loved one can be the first step to getting them the help they need!
Hearing loss doesn’t have to be experienced in silence – and you certainly don’t have to just accept it. There is a wide range of available hearing aids that can fit seamlessly into your loved one’s lifestyle. With your assistance, they may be able to enhance their quality of life – through technology as small as your thumbnail!
Don’t Be Afraid to Reach Out and Open Up
Tell your loved one how important the relationship is to you and how their hearing loss impacts not only your ability to communicate and be understood, but other important individuals in their life. Avoid using threats, guilt or being confrontational; instead, use compassion and tenderness. Talk to your loved one about the different hearing loss symptoms you have noticed them exhibiting, the most common being:
- Muffled speech
- Asking people to repeat themselves frequently
- Consistently turning the volume up on the television or radio
- Struggling to hear someone on the telephone
- Difficulty hearing conversation when immersed in background noise
Often, hearing loss occurs so gradually that the individual experiencing it has no idea they actually have it – or how severe it may be. Sometimes, simply having a conversation can help raise their awareness enough to schedule an appointment with a hearing professional.
Assist Your Loved One in Finding a Professional
Once you’ve helped your loved one understand that they need to seek professional help for their hearing loss, it’s time to locate the right one! There are several different ways you can find a hearing provider, with one of the easiest being the internet. Simply type your zip code and the term ‘hearing care professional’ into a search engine and peruse the results. Click on their websites and get a better feel for what kind of services they provide and if they are a professional your loved one could gel with.
Additionally, you can always ask fellow family members, friends or your loved one’s primary care physician for other recommendations. They are likely to be familiar with someone already in the community and will be able to provide details on their experience at the provider’s office.
You can also plan to go on a visit with your loved one when they schedule their appointment. Be helpful and jot down a list of any questions they may come up with beforehand and provide any insight you need into the symptoms you’ve noticed your loved one exhibiting. Additionally, you are providing support and encouragement just by being there, which could help your loved one relax and focus on the important issue at hand – getting the treatment they deserve.
Help Them Understand Their Options
If your loved one has a hearing test and is diagnosed with hearing loss, the hearing professional may recommend a hearing aid as the best treatment option. Hearing aids are incredibly helpful pieces of technology that come in an array of styles to meet a multitude of lifestyle, budget and aesthetic needs. The most common styles available, include:
- Behind the ear (BTE)
- In the ear (ITE)
- Invisible in canal (IIC)
- Completely in canal (CIC)
- In the canal (ITC)
The hearing health professional will likely recommend the best options to your loved one, but you can help them understand the differences and discuss any personal pros or cons with them.
Helping Your Loved One
These are just a few of the reasons why people may refuse to have their hearing loss diagnosed and treated, as well as why they may object to using hearing aids. It can be tough to persuade someone that they need a hearing aid, but if you succeed and they regain some or all of their hearing, they will undoubtedly thank you for persevering.
If you are ready to get your loved one on the track to better hearing, reach out to one of the friendly professionals at Hear Again America by calling (877) 905-9493. We have a full team ready to assist you or your loved one through the journey of hearing testing, diagnosis, hearing aid selections and fittings.