It’s a common first reaction – denial. Of course, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as advanced as it seems. She’s too young to need a hearing aid.
Maybe, the two of you have begun to joke around with one another about it. Your loved one always asks you to speak up. It’s just a game. You laugh about it. But this game is getting old quickly. You wonder if she’s just ignoring you or if she might actually be having some genuine hearing trouble.
You want your loved one to have a healthy, energetic, and joyful life for years to come so it’s likely time to be encouraging and help them find the correct help.
If someone you know needs hearing aids they will most likely be showing these 4 common signs.
1. She’s more tired than usual particularly when you go out
Maybe you believe that it just normally happens when you age. Your loved one really doesn’t have as much energy as they once did. When she says she just doesn’t feel like going out tonight, you try to understand.
You really start to think that something isn’t right when she begins skipping meetings with clubs, organizations, and hobby groups she’s always enjoyed. Your loved one’s energy seems to be drained by loud environments. If there is a lot of background noise, or if more than one conversation is taking place at the same time, this is especially true.
Additional energy is required to hear and understand what people are saying when someone is struggling with hearing issues. As a result, energy is transferred from other essential brain functions like physical mobility, memory, and speaking.
Utilizing this additional brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just tires it out. Your loved one will frequently seem to shut down with fatigue in social situations.
Don’t presume you know what she’s experiencing. Her feelings may be due to a number of factors. But ask questions. Get to the underlying cause and recommend that she get a hearing test.
2. She always cranks the TV up really loud
This is often one of the first indications that you might perceive in another person. They can’t seem to watch TV or play music at a healthy volume.
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. You can even hear it from outdoors.
She might turn it down when you inform her it’s too loud. Then you realize that she just turned on the captions.
Maybe she’s embarrassed about it. It’s probably time for you to suggest a hearing test if this is a frequent thing.
3. She frequently needs people to repeat what they said
If you’re in a really loud setting like a concert or movie theater or she’s really focused on a movie, then it may be nothing. But you should be mindful if this is happening often.
Likewise, take notice if she seems to have a lot of trouble hearing when she’s on the phone.
Is she griping about people mumbling or talking low constantly? Does she frequently need people to repeat what they said? It’s time for a compassionate talk 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 around 50% more quarrels. These quarrels might be about TV volume, misconceptions, or what one says the other person may or may not have said.
When somebody isn’t able to hear, there will be much more stress in a household. They get frustrated about their hearing loss. Others get upset when they won’t go in for help. This brings about lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart and alone.
Many couples don’t recognize that hearing loss is the trigger, 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 spouse, you can get new perspective on your relationships by simply getting a hearing test. Inspire your loved one to schedule an appointment.
Individuals who realize they need hearing aids and wear them say they’d never go back. Normally, they wish they wouldn’t have waited so long. They feel healthier, happier, and more energetic.
It’s not a comfortable conversation to have. But the difficulty of this conversation is worth it when your loved one finally finds the assistance they need.
Call us today and let us help you with some ideas about how to address your loved one’s hearing loss!