Hearing loss can cause relationships to suffer. People often report feeling ignored or resentful towards their loved one with hearing loss. You may feel frustrated that your loved one with hearing loss asks you to repeat what you said or that you answer the door or the phone more often. These frustrations can build up, producing strain in relationships that can impact closeness, intimacy, and quality time. Increasing your understanding and learning more about what people with hearing loss wish others knew can help you provide support, alleviating the toll relationships can often be impacted by.
1. Hearing loss is exhausting. Navigating hearing loss can be stressful and isolating. People with hearing loss are often working harder to hear and follow conversations. They may use different strategies to support their hearing including: lip reading, asking others to repeat what they are saying or to talk slower, paying close attention, following nonverbal cues like body language and gestures etc. Performing all of this work during a conversation can be tiring and can lead to fatigue. Conversations and social interactions can be tough and feel laborious, especially in environments that are harder to hear in – restaurants, parties, other types of social settings etc. This experience can be exhausting and can impact communication.
2. I am not ignoring you. It is common for people to feel like their loved one with hearing loss isn’t listening to what they are saying. You may feel like they are not interested in the conversation and are ignoring you. What often contributes to this is your loved one asking you to repeat what you are saying, expressing confusion, and not responding quickly. But it is important to know that they are likely not ignoring you but rather, are trying hard to follow what you are saying. It may take them more time to detect and process what you are saying as they are working overtime to participate in a conversation. Rather than misread their interest or level of engagement, you can ask if there is anything you can clarify or ways you can adjust to better support their hearing needs.
3. Understanding hearing loss is helpful. Hearing loss is a chronic medical condition that reduces capacity to hear and process speech as well as sound. This produces various symptoms that impact hearing and communication. Hearing loss can be experienced in different ways so taking the time to learn more about it as well as your loved one’s specific experience can help you provide useful support. It also sheds light on how communication is impacted, allowing you to understand and empathize with your loved one who is navigating hearing loss.
4. Hearing aids are not like glasses. Hearing aids are an essential item for people with hearing loss. They are the most common way that hearing loss is treated and they provide ample hearing support. It is important to know that they take time to adjust to and are unlike glasses in this way. Glasses, once you put them on, instantly improve vision. But with hearing aids, the ears and brain are recalibrating to this new way of hearing and processing sound and this takes time.
5. You can provide support. There are great ways you can support your loved one’s hearing needs. Practicing the following strategies supports effective communication, allowing them to engage in conversations with greater ease:
- Grab their attention before starting a conversation.
- Be visible so that they are able to access nonverbal cues, body language, lip reading etc.
- Rephrase rather than repeat if they didn’t hear something you said.
- Speak in your natural voice and pause between sentences.
- Send detailed information via text, email.
- Reduce background noise as much as possible.
- Avoid multitasking so that you are able to be fully present and engaged.
- Avoid places that are noisy and have dim lighting.
- Check-in regularly throughout the conversation to see if there is anything you can clarify or any adjustments you can make.
These strategies help make conversations and spaces more accessible. Be sure to also ask your loved one about what works best for them.
6. Be patient. Learning how to navigate daily environments, conversations, and communication in different settings requires time and patience. This adjustment period involves practicing communication strategies as well as learning the ways that your hearing is optimally met. So it is important to be patient and understanding.
Supporting your loved one with hearing loss can significantly help their transition to better hearing health. It can also strengthen your connection and relationship. Contact us today to learn more.