What are some helpful hints if I’m having trouble hearing? Part 2

If you simply cannot understand what the person you are speaking with is saying, politely request the speaker to reword their sentence and try speaking again. It has been found, in some hearing loss patients, they lose the ability to hear certain letter sounds. Rewording sentences can sometimes remove the letters that cannot be heard and replace them with more audible sounds. Also, it is important to let the person speaking know if you do not understand what they are saying. You may be able to move to another, quieter location which will assist you in hearing the person speaking more clearly.

It is most important for those with hearing loss to remember when the simple acts of lip-reading, asking someone to repeat their sentences and watching for facial expression clues no longer work, it is time to go to a hearing health care provider for a hearing test. Hearing loss is not a condition that improves with age. Hearing loss can progress from mild to moderate to severe very quickly. Many patients with hearing loss live in denial that they have a problem for many years before they seek medical attention.

There are a large number of resources for those with hearing loss. Education and research should be some of the first steps to an effective course of treatment for hearing loss. Many aging adults are not aware of all the hearing aid options available to those with hearing loss. There are resources not only for those who are aging with hearing loss, but also for those who are family members or friends of hearing loss patients. Family and caregivers of those with hearing loss should be just as, if not more, educated on the progression and potential problems hearing loss can cause. The treatment of hearing loss should be a process that involves the whole family, not just the hearing loss patient.

Share and Enjoy: