When Should You Approach A Loved One About Hearing Loss?

Hearing loss doesn’t typically happen overnight. It often occurs gradually, sneaking up on a person. The person experiencing hearing loss isn’t the only one who should be on the lookout for warning signs. If you notice that a loved one struggles to participate in conversations in loud settings or is constantly turning up the volume, they may be suffering from hearing loss.

Hearing loss can be a touchy subject, especially if the individual is in denial that their hearing is suffering. When you notice the warning signs, it’s important to get them the treatment they need sooner rather than later to prevent further damage. If you aren’t sure how to broach the subject, you’re not alone.

Instead of tiptoeing around the topic, El Dorado Hearing is here to help you develop a game plan to talk to your loved ones about their suspected hearing loss. Follow along so you can learn how to talk to a loved one about hearing loss and get them the treatment they need.

How to identify a loved one’s hearing loss

If you are concerned about a loved one’s hearing, you’ve likely noticed a few warning signs indicating that they aren’t able to hear as well as they used to. Although you may have noticed a few clear indicators, you should be able to identify all the warning signs so you can decipher if the problem is, in fact, hearing loss.

You may notice one or more of the following warning signs if your loved one has difficulty hearing:

• Asking people to constantly repeat themselves
• Having difficulty interacting in loud environments
• Unable to hear high pitch noises or small noises
• Difficulty hearing consonants such as S, F, Th, Sh, V, K, and P
• Complaining of a constant ringing noise in their ears
• Turning up the volume to abnormally loud levels
• Unable to decipher conversations when they can’t read lips
• Complaining that others aren’t speaking loudly enough
• Difficulty deciphering background noise

The individual with hearing loss will often try to hide that there is a problem with their hearing, so you must be watching out for these indicators. If their hearing loss goes untreated, they’re going to continue struggling to interact and may find themselves retreating from social situations.

How to approach a loved one about hearing loss

Now that you know how to properly identify a hearing problem, it’s time to learn how to approach a loved one about hearing loss. We know that bringing up suspected hearing loss can be uncomfortable, but getting over that discomfort will allow your loved one to get the help they need to restore their hearing.

Your loved one may be in denial about their hearing loss, so you must sit them down and share what you’ve noticed without coming off as attacking them. Pointing out how their hearing loss is affecting them and you can help open their eyes to the importance of the conversation.

Three key factors to touch on during your conversation include:

• What may happen if they do not address their hearing loss
• How they regain control of their hearing can have a positive impact
• Your desire to see them engaged in the world around them

Remember that this conversation may not go smoothly and may need to have a few times before action is taken. Practice what you want to say and come up with ways to reframe your points from a few angles so you feel confident that you can handle any response they may have.

Schedule a hearing evaluation for a loved one

If your loved one is struggling to hear in everyday situations, you may be wondering how you can help them manage their hearing loss. The first step to addressing the problem is to schedule a diagnostic hearing evaluation with a hearing specialist to determine the problem and provide the best treatment plan to improve the patient’s hearing.

In many cases, the hearing specialist will recommend hearing aids to help amplify sounds — enabling your loved one to communicate with you effectively.

Call El Dorado Hearing to schedule a hearing consultation for your loved one. We’d be more than happy to assist and get their hearing back on track.