Watching sports with Ted is extremely frustrating. Enjoying the game is impossible because the volume is turned up so loud that the walls shake. The commentator’s play-by-play calls are an ear shattering staccato against the earsplitting roar of the crowd.
It’s not fun. But for Ted, the volume is normal. He requires the TV to be incredibly loud so he can hear it, which makes it pretty clear he needs a hearing aid. You’re just not sure how to tell him that. It should be a simple conversation, but he seems excessively sensitive about the topic.
The following are a few tips that could help.
You Can Recommend he Gets a Simple Hearing Test
Ted needs a specialist to educate him about his hearing. He may not trust other people when they inform him he needs a hearing aid. In that situation, the trick will be convincing Ted (or anyone like him) to come see us.
One of the following tactics may help you do that:
- Try making him feel more comfortable by letting him know that it’s just a simple screening. In most cases, hearing screenings are fast and easy. His hearing will be broken down by frequency on an audiogram. The significance of the information can then be broken down by us.
- Suggest that both of you go together for back-to-back assessments. This can make starting the conversation easier. It’s possible you’ll learn that you’ve experienced some hearing loss, also (it could depend on how long you’ve been exposed to a high-volume noise).
Comment on Hearing Loss Behaviors
Hearing loss is frequently indiscernible because it advances so slowly. When this happens, you might pick up certain behaviors without knowing it. By focusing your discussion on those behaviors, you can subtly (or not so subtly) hint that Ted (or someone like him) needs a hearing aid.
Try something like the following:
- Remind Him that he’s not talking on the phone as much as he once did because he has a difficult time hearing what his friends are saying on the other end.
- Point out instances where you have to translate what someone said. Here’s a hypothetical example: your friend says something at breakfast, Ted doesn’t hear or comprehend it, and you need to repeat the sentence to Ted because you’re closer to him.
- Informing him that his family has noticed him straining to hear. Each year it seems as if fewer and fewer people are going over to see the Big Game and that could be because the TV is turned up so loud.
The goal during these talks is to keep your discussion focused on these behaviors instead of the ailment. Instead of discussing how Ted is experiencing hearing impairment, mention how his hearing loss effects people in his life.
Talk About Hearing Aid Technology
Antiquated ideas of how a hearing aid impacts your appearance and what hearing aids do, in some instances, leads to reluctance to wear one. It may not be a bad idea to emphasize the innovative technology employed by modern hearing aids.
The following are some examples:
- The technology of modern hearing aids is very advanced. Thanks to connectivity, for instance, your hearing aids will pair easily with your phone or even your TV speakers. This provides amplified volumes without feedback or noise.
- Some hearing aids can even monitor your health and fitness biometrics and translate them in real time as well as other added features.
- Typically, contemporary hearing aids are so small you can’t even notice them. And, modern hearing aids are also comfortable to wear. They aren’t the big and bulky units of the past. Most people will probably never detect you’re wearing them.
For many people, hearing aids feel like an extension of their smartphones or tablets. Modern hearing aids are very useful pieces of technology that help you enjoy live streaming.
Promote The Long-Term Benefits
Lastly, it’s worth taking time to mention the long-term benefits of hearing aids, which have been demonstrated to help people keep (or recover) their cognitive faculties. In other words, your brain health depends on you being capable of hearing clearly.
You will keep more of your hearing undamaged in the long run if you address your hearing loss as soon as possible. When you have hearing impairment, your ears have a difficult time processing specific wavelengths and hearing aids are calibrated to fill in those missing frequencies. Simply turning up your TV is no substitute for this valuable technology.
Getting treatment as soon as you start experiencing hearing loss can help save your hearing, and knowing that will help persuade people like Ted to seek help.