Communicating with a Loved One Suffering from Hearing Loss

As time goes on and people grow older, hearing loss often begins to interfere with clear communication. If someone in your family is suffering from hearing loss, it can be frustrating when you try to talk to them or have a serious discussion. There are ways to help someone understand if you take the time to improve your own communications skills.

1. First, get the person’s attention. Starting off the conversation before they realize you are addressing them means they’ll miss the start of the discussion. Be sure you address the person by name and, if necessary, lightly touch them to get their attention. Sometimes a person with hearing loss isn’t immediately aware of who is talking to whom.

2. Talk face-to-face. Being able to read your facial expressions and seeing your lips can help clarify certain words or expressions. Most of us don’t realize that at least part of listening is recognizing the formation of words when we watch the other person’s face.

3. Talk slower, not louder. Talking more slowly can help a person who has some degree of hearing loss, but trying to shout at them won’t help. In fact, it sometimes makes it more difficult because the sound seems garbled or distorted to the listener. Pitch your voice at the same volume or only slightly louder than normal, but slow it down. Imagine talking to someone who doesn’t use your own language as his or her first language, then talk at the speed you would use to try talking to a person who has a rudimentary grasp of the language. This gives your loved one the time to focus on understanding each word or phrase individually.

4. Enunciate, don’t exaggerate. Enunciating means pronouncing each word clearly and distinctly. It does not mean exaggerating the words or phrases. When you exaggerate, you garble the real sound of the words or phrases, making them sound foreign to a person with hearing loss.

5. Be sure the environment is right. People with hearing loss feel most comfortable carrying on a conversation in their own home. They are used to any distractions and can focus fully on the conversation. It’s best to have any conversation of importance in a place where background noise is at a minimum. Turn off the television and radio and make sure interruptions are minimal.

6. Ask them if they understand. Don’t assume the other person has heard. Ask if they need anything clarified. If the information is crucial (such as a doctor’s instructions), ask that the person with hearing loss to repeat them back to you. Sometimes they think they’ve heard, but they may have missed some details that are important.

7. Discuss the possibility of hearing aids. Some people with partial hearing loss don’t want to consider hearing aids, or they may feel their hearing loss isn’t severe enough. This isn’t usually the case as most people don’t realize how much hearing they’ve already lost until they get tested by an audiologist. Suggest a hearing test in a gentle and non-threatening way. Your loved one may soon realize that their hearing loss doesn’t have to be tolerated.

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