Helping a Loved One Cope with Hearing Loss

When you start to recognize that someone you love is losing his or her hearing, it is important

that you know how to react well. There are a lot of people that do not realize that they are going

to need to be sensitive but, at times, they may need to be firm about the problem.

When an individual starts to lose his or her hearing, it can be scary. There are a lot of people that

do not understand that the individual that is losing the hearing may be in denial about losing his

or her hearing and that this is totally normal.

Be Sensitive

Being sensitive to the fact that this loss can be scary is extremely important when you are dealing

with anyone that is losing their hearing. Take the time that

you need to understand how you are going to be loving and

informative without pushing your loved one away from real

solutions.

When you start to notice someone that you love struggling

to hold conversations on the phone or even struggling to

hold conversations face to face as a result of not being able

to hear, you may want to sit down and talk. This first

conversation is important and should not be taken lightly.

Some people try to overcompensate for their loved one,

because they don’t want to sit down and have this

conversation. This conversation may be uncomfortable at

first, but it is important that you know how you are going to

get problems solved rather than cover them up.

When you sit down to talk , you should be sure that you first ask about how they are feeling. Ask

if they have noticed any change in their hearing and let them be the ones to talk about the

problem first before bringing it up and making them feel like they are under attack.

Be Brave If you find that the individual will not talk about his or hearing loss, or is in denial it is important

that you do not let them use you as a crutch. The next time that they ask you to repeat yourself or

talk louder, point out that you think there is a hearing problem.

If you continue to act as a crutch, you will find that your loved one will never have to get the

help that he or she needs to be able to function properly. Although you may not be able to help

your loved one restore his or her hearing, there are tools that he or she can use.

A captioned phone is a great example of a tool that can be used to increase quality of life. A

captioned telephone will ensure that your loved one is able to read the conversation that is going

on while they are on the phone rather than just having to depend on their hearing.

Take time to explore the option of a captioned telephone, or any other tool that can be useful,

with your loved one. These technologies can be a great way to improve your loved ones quality

of life even when they are losing their hearing.