The proliferation of hearing loss in our society essentially guarantees that you will eventually have to deal with the condition in a loved one. This can be particularly difficult as our society tends to have negative connotations associated with hearing loss, despite it being a very natural part of the aging process and having nothing to do with mental agility. Those diagnosed with hearing loss often report feelings of low self-worth and some people are even hesitant to treat hearing loss with hearing aids because they don’t want to appear “old.”
If someone you love is showing signs of hearing loss, there are a number of ways you can support them through their transition period and assist them on their journey.
Go to the hearing test with them
Sometimes, it is the first step that is the most difficult. If someone you love believes that they might be experiencing hearing loss, it’s important that you encourage them to get a hearing test. We can’t make any progress in life if we don’t have a clear view of exactly what we’re up against. For that reason, it might be your job to just be a cheerleader as they confront their suspicions. It might even mean going to the hearing test with them. While the initial diagnosis might be scary to hear, it’s also the first step in seeking out next steps and successful treatment.
Investigate treatment options
Modern audiology is leaps and bounds beyond what our grandparents used to treat hearing loss. Today’s hearing aids are sleek, subtle and smart. They’re often so well designed that they’re nearly unnoticeable. And the technology seamlessly integrates into our wireless life that adjusting levels on our hearing aids can look like checking text messages or scrolling through a social network.
If your loved one has a positive diagnosis of hearing loss and is seeking treatment, help them to see the exciting side of this process. They get to choose their best option from a wide array of sophisticated technology! They also get to leave behind the recent past in which communication was exceedingly difficult and move forward into a life where they’ve addressed their hearing loss and connection is easier and more rewarding!
Listen as they process their hearing loss
While making progress in reclaiming hearing capabilities after hearing loss is certainly exciting, there will be some mourning for their days of healthy hearing. Because hearing loss is a degenerative disease, their hearing loss may worsen as time goes on. In our success-oriented society, this can be a harsh reality to swallow. Your job at this stage might simply be to listen as they process their hearing loss and be quietly supportive as they work towards acceptance.
Ask them how you can help
Don’t try to read the minds of those you love with hearing loss. Ask them for the best ways you can help because they know their needs better than anyone else. And people are all different. One person might be grateful to have you close by playing translator in challenging noise environments while another might perceive that sort of support as condescending. The only way to truly know how someone else is feeling and the ways they will accept help is by asking them directly.
Be flexible and open minded about your shared routines
Be open minded about the ways your relationship with your loved one might change. Their newly diagnosed hearing loss might affect your relationship emotionally and logistically. As they deal with accepting their hearing loss and intervening, your relationship might take a back seat on the priority list for a time. This is completely normal and once they’ve adjusted to their new reality, your relationship will probably rise back up there to the top of the list.
Also expect that some of your routines might change. If you keep in touch by phone, know that phone conversations for people with hearing loss can be difficult. Perhaps you switch the way you connect over to a daily text message check in or a longer email each week.
Keep their challenges in mind in the long run
It’s easy to forget that your loved one is still dealing with hearing loss after the initial discovery. Once treatment is started and they’ve adjusted to their new hearing life, they may even seem back to their same old selves. This is probably not the case for them, though. Hearing loss, even after intervention and treatment, adds a stress onto daily life. Remember to take into consideration their hearing difficulties when arranging a dinner party or scheduling your next check in. Your continued consideration is a way of telling your loved one that they matter enough to be accommodated.
At Desert Valley Audiology, we’re here to help. To schedule a hearing test, contact our friendly team today.