It’s a normal first response – denial. My loved one must be just making it seem like their hearing loss is worse than it actually is. She’s too young to require a hearing aid.
Perhaps, it’s become a joke between the two of you. Your loved one constantly asks you to repeat yourself. You laugh about it as if it’s simply a game. But this game is getting old quickly. You question whether she’s simply disregarding you or if she may actually be having some legit hearing trouble.
You want your loved one to have a balanced, energetic, and joyful life for years to come so it’s probably time to be supportive and help them seek out the appropriate help.
If someone you know needs hearing aids they will most likely be exhibiting these 4 prevalent signs.
1. She’s more drained than normal particularly when you go out
You might think it’s simply an indication of getting older. Your loved one really doesn’t have as much energy as they used to. You try to understand when she says that she’s not going out tonight.
You really start to suspect that something isn’t right when she starts missing meetings with clubs, organizations, and hobby groups she’s always enjoyed. Your loved one’s energy seems to be depleted by loud settings. This is especially true if they’re in a situation where there is more than one conversation going on, or there’s a lot of background noise.
Extra energy is required to hear and comprehend what people are saying when somebody is dealing with hearing problems. They often have to draw this energy from other brain functions like memory, talking, and moving.
This use of additional energy is actually fatiguing the brain not strengthening it. Your loved one will frequently seem to shut down with fatigue in social settings.
Don’t assume you understand what she’s experiencing. Her feelings may be the result of a number of factors. But ask questions. Get to the base cause and recommend that she get a hearing test.
2. She always turns the TV up too loud
This is frequently one of the first signs that you may notice in another person. Whenever they play music or watch TV, they turn it up really loud.
You go into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just walked into a movie theater. You feel like you should make 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 switched on the captions.
Perhaps she’s ashamed about it. It’s likely time for you to recommend a hearing assessment if this is a frequent thing.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
It might not be an issue if you are in a very loud setting or she’s really focused on something. But you should be mindful if this is happening frequently.
Also, if she’s struggling to hear phone calls you should pay attention.
Is she complaining about people muttering or talking low constantly? Does she regularly need people to repeat what they said? If so, it’s time to have that loving chat about how much more enjoyable life is with hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling strained
Couples argue two times as much when one of them is dealing with hearing loss, according to research. They might argue about what one of them may or may not have said, the volume of the TV, or other misunderstandings.
When someone isn’t able to hear, there will be much more tension in a household. They get frustrated about their hearing loss. Others get frustrated when they won’t go in for help. This brings about lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart or alone.
Many couples don’t recognize that hearing loss is the cause, and this can harm their relationship irreparably. Even moderate hearing loss can strain a relationship, so it pays to get it checked out.
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 schedule an appointment.
Individuals who realize they need hearing aids and use them say they’d never go back. Normally, they wish they wouldn’t have waited so long. They feel happier, healthier, and more active.
It isn’t a comfortable discussion to have. But the difficulty of this discussion is worth it when your loved one finally finds the help they need.
Need more practical ideas about how to address your loved one’s hearing loss? Call us right away!