When a loved one needs a hearing aid
Hearing loss. It happens to almost all of us eventually. Worldwide, one in six people suffer from hearing problems. In people over the age of 60, according to the National Hearing Foundation, this is even one in four. These people themselves often do not realize this, because hearing loss occurs so gradually. Your partner usually notices, and so do friends and family. But how do you tell a loved one to have their hearing tested?
Hearing loss is gradual. You will notice that someone close to you is increasingly “what are you saying?” calls and turn up the volume on the TV or radio. He or she seems to find it difficult to follow conversations. This certainly applies if it is in noisy spaces, such as at a birthday party or in a restaurant. Yet most people will initially deny that they have difficulty distinguishing different sounds.
“Others talk under their breath”
It is of course not surprising that accepting hearing loss is difficult. It’s a process, and denial is the first stage of it. To illustrate: on average, the Dutch receive a hearing aid at the age of 71. This is preceded by 7 years in which the hearing problems are already noticeable. But many people would rather deny their hearing problems than walk with such a device in their ear. Some people really don’t realize that they hear less, others go to great lengths to convince themselves that nothing is wrong (“He just talks slurred and mumbles too much, no wonder I don’t understand”). And that while you hardly see modern hearing aids.
Getting into the Difficult Conversation
Precisely because it is so difficult for people to accept that they hear less, it is also difficult for others to talk to them about the deterioration of their hearing and possible solutions. A pity, because seeking help for hearing problems ensures a much better quality of life in the long term. So it is really necessary to start a conversation.
Hearing problems treatment enriches your life
Make sure to introduce such a conversation slowly, give examples and above all try to show understanding. Let them know that hearing loss is normal and that you find it especially annoying for them. Keep in mind that it can be a difficult subject for your conversation partner. If you do not know that you have hearing loss, and you are suddenly confronted with it, the first tendency is to deny that a visit to a hearing care professional is necessary. So put your mind at ease and tell them that a hearing aid really doesn’t age and can be worn almost invisibly these days. On the contrary; A hearing aid has many advantages:
- One of the biggest benefits of wearing a hearing aid is a richer social life, as you will be able to communicate well with your family and friends again. You often don’t realize it, but talking to a waiter in a restaurant, making a phone call or even going to the supermarket is a lot more difficult with hearing loss (and miscommunication is lurking). This also increases your self-reliance.
- You have more energy, because you don’t have to concentrate excessively on every sound. If you have to focus all day long, it will lead to fatigue.
- You are more alert and your sense of security improves. In addition to the fact that everyday life is a lot easier if you hear well, it also makes a difference in terms of (feeling of) safety if you can properly perceive the surrounding sounds. Think of hearing oncoming traffic.
3 minutes hearing check
The next step is to convince them of the usefulness of a hearing test with a hearing care professional. Explain that you notice that they often ask people to repeat things and that it might be a good idea to check on your hearing. Because the step to a hearing care professional may be a bit big at that time, you can suggest that you first do a short hearing check together. Such a hearing check only takes three minutes. You simply walk into a hearing care professional when you are in the area. Most hearing care professionals offer them. Put on the headphones one by one and press the button when you hear the sound on the tablet. If it turns out that there is indeed a hearing loss, further testing is wise.
If the quick hearing check shows that there is indeed hearing impairment, it is a lot easier to convince a loved one to do an extensive hearing test at the hearing care professional. During such a – usually free – hearing test, the hearing will be extensively examined in a separate closed room with professional measuring equipment.
