It’s a normal first response – denial. My loved one must be simply making it seem as if their hearing loss is worse than it actually is. She’s not old enough to need a hearing aid.
Maybe, it’s become a joke between both of you. Your loved one constantly asks you to speak up. You joke about it as if it’s simply a game. But it’s beginning to become less and less humorous. You’re beginning to believe that maybe your partner, sibling, or parent is either dismissing you or really having difficulty hearing.
You want your loved one to have a balanced, energetic, and joyful life for years to come so it’s likely time to be encouraging and help them seek out the appropriate help.
If someone you know needs hearing aids they will probably be exhibiting these 4 common signs.
1. She appears to be fatigued, particularly in public
You may think it’s simply a sign of getting older. Your loved one really doesn’t have as much energy as they once did. When she says she isn’t feeling like going out tonight, you try to be patient.
You really begin to suspect that something isn’t right when she begins missing meetings with clubs, organizations, and hobby groups she’s always loved. Loud noise seems to deplete your loved one’s energy. If there is lots of background noise, or if more than one conversation is happening simultaneously, this is especially true.
Additional energy is required to hear and comprehend what people are saying when someone is struggling with hearing problems. They frequently have to draw this energy from other functions in the brain such as memory, talking, and moving.
This use of additional energy is actually exhausting the brain not strengthening it. Your loved one will frequently seem to shut down with fatigue in social settings.
Don’t presume you know what she’s dealing with. Her feelings might be the result of numerous factors. In order to get to the root of the issue, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing test.
2. She always cranks the TV up really loud
Frequently, you will notice this symptom first. Whenever they listen to music or watch TV, they crank it up really loud.
Your living room sounds like a movie theater. You feel like you should have some popcorn, but it’s just your loved one blowing your ears out with the TV. Your neighbors can even hear it.
When you say that the TV is too loud, she may chuckle and turn it down. Then you notice that she just switched on the captions.
She may not want to admit that she really can’t hear the TV. If this is happening a lot, it may be time for you to suggest a hearing exam.
3. She frequently needs people to repeat what they said
It may not be an issue if you are in a really loud setting or she’s really zoned in on something. If it’s happening more frequently than that, be aware.
Furthermore, if she’s struggling to hear phone calls you should pay attention.
Is she griping about people muttering or low-talking constantly? Does she regularly need people to repeat what they said? It’s time for a compassionate chat about the advantages of hearing aids.
4. You’re feeling a rift in the relationship
Researchers have found that couples, where one has hearing loss, have about 50% more quarrels. They might argue about what one of them may or may not have said, the volume of the TV, or other misconceptions.
When someone can’t hear, there will be much more tension in a household. Their hearing loss is stressful. And their refusal to get help is stressful to others. This frequently results in people choosing to spend more time apart due to more hurt feelings.
Many couples don’t recognize that hearing loss is the cause, and this can harm their relationship irreparably. It’s important to get the proper help because even moderate hearing loss can strain relationships.
Whether it’s a friend, sibling, or partner, you can get new perspective on your relationships by getting a simple hearing test. Encourage your loved one to call for an appointment.
Individuals who realize they need hearing aids and wear them say they’d never go back. In fact, they regret they didn’t get them sooner. Their overall quality of life will be significantly improved.
It isn’t a comfortable discussion to have. But the difficulty of this conversation is worth it when your loved one finally gets the assistance they need.
Call us right away and let us help you with some ideas about how to address your loved one’s hearing loss!