Denial is a common first reaction. My loved one must be just making it seem as if their hearing loss is more severe than it actually is. She’s too young to require a hearing aid.
Maybe, it’s become a joke between the two of you. Your loved one constantly asks you to repeat yourself. It’s only a game. You joke about it. But this game is getting old quickly. You’re starting to think that perhaps your spouse, sibling, or parent is either ignoring you or really having trouble hearing.
It’s time to be supportive and make certain your loved one gets the care they need to keep living a happy, healthy, active lifestyle even into their senior years.
If somebody you know needs hearing aids they will probably be showing these 4 prevalent symptoms.
1. She appears to be exhausted, particularly in public
Perhaps you believe that it just ordinarily happens when you age. Your loved one used to have a lot more energy. When she says she just doesn’t feel like going out tonight, you try to be patient.
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. Loud noise seems to sap your loved one’s energy. If there is lots of background noise, or if more than one conversation is taking place simultaneously, this is particularly true.
Individuals who are struggling to hear put excess energy toward comprehending those around them. Consequently, energy is taken from other essential brain functions like physical movement, memory, and speaking.
This use of additional energy is actually exhausting the brain not strengthening it. In social situations, exhaustion will often seem to shut your loved one down.
If you’re not going through the same thing, don’t assume you can relate to what she’s dealing with. It could be a combination of things. In order to get to the root of the problem, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing exam.
2. She likes the TV LOUD
Frequently, you will notice this symptom first. They can’t seem to watch TV or listen to music at a normal volume.
Your living room sounds like a movie theater. You feel like you should have some popcorn, but it’s just your loved one blowing your ears out with the TV. Your neighbors can even hear it.
She may turn it down when you inform her it’s too loud. But actually, she turned closed captions on.
She might not want to admit that she actually can’t hear the TV. It’s likely time for you to recommend a hearing assessment if this is a regular thing.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
It may not be an issue if you are in a very loud setting or she’s really focused on something. If it’s occurring more frequently than that, pay attention.
Likewise, pay attention if she seems to have a lot of trouble hearing when she’s using the phone.
Is she constantly aggravated because she thinks people are talking too low or mumbling? Does she regularly need people to repeat what they said? It’s time for a compassionate chat about the benefits of hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling strained
Couples argue twice as much when one of them has hearing loss, according to research. These quarrels may be about TV volume, misunderstandings, or what one says the other person did or didn’t say.
When someone can’t hear, there will be a lot more stress in a household. Their hearing loss is frustrating. And their refusal to seek out help is frustrating to others. This frequently leads to people deciding to spend more time apart because of more hurt feelings.
This can lead to permanent harm to the relationship and the couple often doesn’t even realize that hearing loss is the reason. 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. Speak with your loved one about getting their hearing assessed.
People who realize they need hearing aids and wear them say they’d never go back. As a matter of fact, they regret they didn’t get them sooner. Their general quality of life will be significantly enhanced.
It’s not an easy discussion to have. But when your loved one finally gets the help they need it will all have been worth it.
Call us today and let us help you with some ideas about how to tackle your loved one’s hearing loss!