Denial is a common first response. My loved one must be simply making it seem like their hearing loss is more severe than it actually is. She’s not old enough to need a hearing aid.
It’s possible, the two of you have begun to kid around with each other about it. Your loved one always asks you to speak up. You joke about it like it’s simply a game. But this game is getting old quickly. You wonder if she’s simply disregarding you or if she may actually be having some legit hearing trouble.
It’s time to be supportive and make sure your loved one receives the care they need to keep living a happy, healthy, active life well into their senior years.
If someone you know needs hearing aids they will probably be showing these 4 prevalent symptoms.
1. She’s more drained than normal particularly when you go out
You may think it’s just an indication of aging. Your loved one used to have a lot more energy. You try to understand when she says that she’s not going out tonight.
Then she begins missing meetings with a hobby group, organization, or club that she’s always enjoyed, even when they get together virtually, and you begin to recognize something could be wrong. Loud noise seems to drain your loved one’s energy. If there is lots of background noise, or if more than one conversation is happening at the same time, this is especially true.
Individuals who are struggling to hear put excessive energy toward comprehending people around them. They often have to draw this energy from other functions in the brain like memory, speaking, 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.
Don’t assume you understand what she’s experiencing. It could be a mix of things. In order to get to the bottom of the problem, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing assessment.
2. She always turns the TV up really loud
Frequently, you will notice this symptom first. Whenever they listen to music or watch TV, they turn it up really loud.
You go into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just entered a movie theater. You feel like you should make some popcorn, but it’s just your loved one blowing your ears out with the TV. Your neighbors can even hear it.
She might turn it down when you inform her it’s too loud. But it turns out, she turned on closed captions.
Maybe she’s embarrassed about it. It’s likely time for you to recommend a hearing assessment if this is a frequent thing.
3. She frequently needs people to repeat what they said
If you’re in a really loud environment like a concert or movie theater or she’s really focused on a movie, then it might be nothing. If it’s occurring more frequently than that, pay attention.
Similarly, pay attention if she seems to have a lot of trouble hearing when she’s on the phone.
Is she griping about people muttering or talking low constantly? Is she requesting that people repeat themselves? It’s time for a compassionate chat about the advantages of hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling tense
Researchers have discovered that couples, where one has hearing loss, have around 50% more quarrels. These arguments may center around TV volume, misconceptions, or what one claims the other person may or may not have said.
When somebody can’t hear, there will be a lot more tension in a household. They get frustrated about their hearing loss. And their refusal to seek out help is frustrating to others. This brings about lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
This can cause irreversible harm to the relationship and the couple often doesn’t even comprehend that hearing loss is the reason. 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 totally new perspective on your relationship, whether you’re talking about a spouse, sister, or dear friend. Encourage your loved one to call for an appointment.
People who discover they need hearing aids and use them say they’d never go back. In fact, they regret they waited so long to get them in the first place. They feel healthier, happier, and more energetic.
It’s not an easy talk to have. But when your loved one finally finds the help they require it will all have been worth it.
Call us today and let us help you with some ideas about how to tackle your loved one’s hearing loss!