It’s a common first reaction – denial. My loved one must be just making it seem as if their hearing loss is more severe than it actually is. She’s too young to need a hearing aid.
Maybe, it’s become a joke between the two of you. Your loved one always asks you to repeat yourself. It’s just a game. You laugh about it. But this game is getting old quickly. You’re beginning to think that maybe your spouse, brother, or parent is either ignoring you or really having trouble hearing.
You want your loved one to have a balanced, energetic, and happy life for years to come so it’s probably time to be supportive and help them seek out the correct help.
Here are 4 prevalent indications that somebody you know needs a hearing aid.
1. She’s more tired than normal especially when you go out
You might think it’s just a sign of aging. Your loved one just doesn’t have as much energy as they used to. You try to relate 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 loved, even when they get together virtually, and you begin to realize something may be wrong. Your loved one’s energy seems to be drained by loud settings. If there is a lot of background noise, or if more than one conversation is happening simultaneously, this is especially true.
Individuals who are struggling to hear put excess energy toward comprehending people around them. Consequently, energy is transferred from other important brain functions like physical movement, memory, and speaking.
This use of extra energy is actually exhausting the brain not strengthening it. In social situations, fatigue will often seem to shut your loved one down.
Don’t presume you understand what she’s dealing with. Her feelings might be attributable to numerous factors. In order to get to the bottom of the issue, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing exam.
2. She always cranks the TV up really loud
Frequently, you will identify this symptom first. They can’t seem to watch TV or play music at a healthy volume.
You walk into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just walked into a theater. You suddenly get the impulse to make some popcorn, except you realize that she’s just watching a reality show or documentary at a volume that almost makes you cringe. Your neighbors are even able to hear it.
She may turn it down when you inform her it’s too loud. Then you realize that she just turned on the captions.
She might not want to admit that she really can’t hear the TV. It’s likely time for you to recommend a hearing exam if this is a frequent thing.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
It may not be an issue if you are in a very loud environment or she’s really zoned in on something. If it’s happening more frequently than that, pay attention.
Similarly, take notice if she seems to have a lot of trouble hearing when she’s using the phone.
Is she complaining about people muttering or low-talking constantly? Is she asking people to repeat themselves? If so, it’s time to have that loving discussion about how much better life is with hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling tense
Couples argue twice as much when one of them has hearing loss, according to research. They may argue about what one of them did or didn’t say, the volume of the TV, or other misconceptions.
Overall, there’s just more stress in a household when somebody can’t hear. They get frustrated about their hearing loss. Others get upset when they won’t get help. This brings about lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
This can lead to permanent harm to the relationship and the couple often doesn’t even comprehend that hearing loss is the cause. Even moderate hearing loss can strain a relationship, so it pays to get it checked out.
Simply getting a hearing exam can give you a totally new perspective on your relationship, whether you’re dealing with a spouse, sister, or dear friend. Speak with your loved one about getting their hearing assessed.
People who recognize they need hearing aids and use them say they’d never go back. As a matter of fact, they regret they didn’t get them sooner. They feel happier, healthier, and more energetic.
It can be a challenging conversation to have. But when your loved one finally gets the help they require it will all have been worth it.
Need more useful ideas about how to handle your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us right away!