It’s a common first response – denial. Surely, my loved one’s hearing loss isn’t as bad as it seems. She’s too young to require a hearing aid.
It’s possible, the two of you have begun to joke around with each other about it. She is always requesting that you repeat what you said. It’s just a game. You joke about it. But this game is getting old fast. You’re starting to believe that perhaps your partner, sibling, or parent is either dismissing you or actually having trouble hearing.
You want your loved one to have a healthy, energetic, and joyful life for many years so it’s likely time to be supportive and help them seek out the appropriate help.
If someone you know needs hearing aids they will probably be showing these 4 prevalent symptoms.
1. She appears to be exhausted, especially in public
Perhaps you believe that it just normally occurs when you age. Your loved one used to have much more energy. You try to understand when she says that she’s not going out tonight.
Then she starts skipping meetings with a hobby group, organization, or club that she’s always loved, even when they meet virtually, and you begin to realize something may be wrong. Your loved one’s energy seems to be depleted by loud environments. This is particularly true if they’re in a situation where there’s more than one discussion going on, or there’s a lot of background noise.
Additional energy is required to hear and comprehend what people are saying when someone is coping with hearing problems. As a result, energy is taken from other essential brain functions like physical mobility, memory, and talking.
Utilizing this additional brainpower doesn’t strengthen the brain; it just tires it out. In social situations, fatigue will often seem to shut your loved one down.
Don’t presume you know what she’s dealing with. It may be a mix of things. In order to get to the bottom of the issue, ask her questions and advocate for a hearing test.
2. She likes the TV LOUD
This is frequently one of the first signs that you might perceive in another person. Whenever they play music or watch TV, they turn it up very loud.
You go into the room, and it sounds like you’ve just entered a theater. You suddenly get the urge to make some popcorn, except you realize that she’s just watching a reality show or documentary at a volume that almost makes you cringe. Your neighbors can even hear it.
When you say that the TV is too loud, she might laugh and lower the volume. But actually, she turned on closed captions.
Maybe she’s embarrassed about it. If this is occurring a lot, it might be time for you to suggest a hearing test.
3. She says, “What?”… a lot
If you’re in a really loud setting like a concert or theater or she’s really concentrated on a movie, then it may be nothing. But you should be mindful if this is happening frequently.
Furthermore, if she’s struggling to hear phone conversations you should pay attention.
Is she complaining about people mumbling or talking low constantly? Does she regularly need people to repeat what they said? If so, it’s time to have that loving conversation about how much better life is with hearing aids.
4. Your relationship is feeling tense
Researchers have discovered that couples, where one is dealing with hearing loss, have about 50% more quarrels. They may argue about what one of them may or may not have said, the volume of the TV, or other misconceptions.
When someone isn’t able to hear, there will be much more stress in a household. They get aggravated about their hearing loss. And their refusal to get help is frustrating to others. This leads to lots of hurt feelings and decisions to spend more time apart or alone.
Many couples don’t realize that hearing loss is the trigger, and this can harm their relationship irreparably. It’s important to get the proper help because even moderate hearing loss can strain relationships.
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 a hearing test.
If someone has hearing loss, hearing aids can change their lives and most will state they would never go back. Normally, they wish they wouldn’t have waited so long. They feel happier, healthier, and more energetic.
It can be a difficult conversation to have. But the difficulty of this conversation is worth it when your loved one finally gets the help they need.
Call us today and let us help you with some ideas about how to address your loved one’s hearing loss!