It’s a normal first reaction – denial. Of course, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as advanced as it seems. She’s too young to require a hearing aid.
Maybe, it’s become a joke between the two of you. Your loved one always asks you to speak up. You laugh about it like it’s just a game. But it’s beginning to become less and less funny. You’re beginning to believe that maybe your partner, brother, or parent is either ignoring you or actually having trouble hearing.
It’s time to be supportive and make certain your loved one receives the care they need to keep living a happy, healthy, active lifestyle even into their senior years.
If someone you know needs hearing aids they will probably be showing these 4 common signs.
1. She’s more drained than normal especially when you go out
Maybe you think that it just normally occurs when you get older. Your loved one used to have a lot more energy. You try to understand when she says that she’s not going out tonight.
You really begin to suspect that something isn’t right when she begins skipping meetings with clubs, organizations, and hobby groups she’s always loved. Your loved one’s energy seems to be depleted by loud environments. This is especially true if they’re in a situation where there’s more than one discussion happening, or there’s a lot of background noise.
People who are struggling to hear put excess energy toward understanding people around them. They often have to draw this energy from other brain functions like memory, talking, and moving.
This use of extra energy is actually fatiguing the brain not strengthening it. In social settings, exhaustion will often seem to shut your loved one down.
If you’re not personally experiencing the same thing, don’t presume you can relate to what she’s dealing with. Her feelings might be the result of numerous factors. In order to get to the bottom of the issue, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing assessment.
2. She likes the TV LOUD
Frequently, you will identify 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 feel like you should have some popcorn, but it’s just your loved one blowing your ears out with the TV. Your neighbors are even able to hear it.
When you say that the TV is too loud, she may laugh and turn it down. But it turns out, she turned on closed captions.
Perhaps she’s ashamed about it. If this is happening a lot, it might be time for you to recommend a hearing test.
3. She often needs people to repeat what they said
It might not be a problem if you are in a very loud environment or she’s really focused on something. But you should be mindful if this is happening often.
Likewise, take notice if she seems to have a lot of difficulty hearing when she’s on the phone.
Is she complaining about people mumbling or talking low constantly? Is she asking people to repeat themselves? It’s time for a compassionate chat about the advantages of 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. They might argue about what one of them may or may not have said, the volume of the TV, or other misconceptions.
When somebody can’t hear, there will be much more tension in a household. Their hearing loss is stressful. Others get frustrated when they won’t go in for help. This often results in people choosing to spend more time alone due to more hurt feelings.
This can cause irreversible damage to the relationship and the couple often doesn’t even recognize that hearing loss is the cause. Even moderate hearing loss can strain a relationship, so it pays to get it checked out.
The simple act of getting a hearing test can give you a totally new perspective on your relationship, whether you’re dealing with a spouse, sibling, or dear friend. Speak with your loved one about getting their hearing assessed.
If someone has hearing loss, hearing aids can improve their lives and most will state they would never go back. As a matter of fact, they regret they didn’t get them sooner. They feel healthier, happier, and more energetic.
It can be a challenging talk 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 address your loved one’s hearing loss!
