Nancy Johnson, of Wilmette, was 40 years old when she lost her hearing. “My loss was sudden and great, so I wanted to do anything to be able to hear,” she says.
After experiencing the benefits of hearing aids firsthand, Nancy spent many years leading a support group for the hearing impaired. “Many people lose their hearing gradually, and they don’t notice the loss,” she says.
Hearing loss affects more than 15% of adults in the US. And age is the greatest predictor: 1 in 3 people has hearing loss by age 60, which increases to 1 in 2 people by age 85.
Yet, fewer than 1 in 3 people who could benefit from hearing aids have ever used them.
“Many people have trouble accepting that they have hearing loss,” says Nancy Congdon, AuD, of The Hearing Care Clinic in Downers Grove. “When I review their hearing test results, people often state, ‘I can hear.’ I tell them that yes, they can hear some things, but there are many things they are not hearing that they need to be hearing.”
Hearing loss doesn’t just affect the individual struggling to hear. A loved one’s hesitation to wear hearing aids can be frustrating for everyone in their life. From trouble carrying on conversations to arguments over TV volume, hearing is an integral part of daily life and relationships.
If hearing loss is impacting your relationship, take an active role in helping your loved one to address the problem.
1 Explore barriers
“Finding out why they are not wearing their hearing aids is always the first step,” says Emily Johnson, AuD, an audiologist at Advanced Audiology Consultants in Oak Brook.“Frequently, patients report that their hearing aids are not physically comfortable or they do not like the sound quality. Changes can always be made to help motivate the patient to utilize their devices more.”
If finances are a barrier, help your loved one research affordable options. “Hearing aid technology and services are definitely an investment in one’s health,” Johnson says. “Most audiology offices offer ranges for pricing as well as different payment methods.”
2 Communicate openly
Caregivers commonly hesitate bringing up a loved one’s hearing loss. Your loved one may not realize the extent to which both they and you are affected.
Have an honest conversation and describe the ways their hearing loss impacts you. Include concerns such as having to repeat yourself, raising the volume of your voice, or worrying about your loved one’s safety.
Ask if they will see an audiologist. Offer to help schedule appointments, research options, and provide transportation if you can.
3 Discuss the risks and benefits
“There are many risks to people with untreated hearing loss,” Congdon says. “Untreated hearing loss is one of the risk factors for cognitive decline. Fortunately, it is a modifiable risk factor. Treating the hearing loss with hearing aids reduces the risk.”
Additional risks include depression, social isolation, and safety concerns from not being able to hear alarms, traffic, or other warnings. Talk with your loved one about these risks and how hearing aids may improve their health and safety.
4 Provide information on hearing aid options
Hearing aid technology is continually advancing. There is an increasing range of shapes, sizes, styles, and ways to wear hearing aids. Gone are the days of big, clunky devices.
A visit to the audiologist to review available options can go a long way in setting your loved one’s mind at ease. Many audiologists offer trial periods or 30-day, money-back guarantees to get your loved one wearing hearing aids and feeling the benefits.
“Motivation for wearing hearing aids full time often has to come intrinsically,” Johnson says. “We can talk about all the benefits, but we also know a lot of patients need to experience it to believe it.”
5 Don’t be a human hearing aid
As a loved one struggles to hear, it’s natural to do everything possible to make yourself heard. But Congdon says this may backfire in the long run.
“By constantly repeating themselves and speaking too loudly to their loved one, caregivers are actually acting as a human hearing aid of sorts,” she says. “I don’t want to encourage anyone to be unkind to their loved ones, but if they stop being that human hearing aid, their loved one is likely to catch on that they have a problem with their hearing that needs to be addressed.”
As much as is reasonable, decrease your compensation for the hearing deficit. Be kind but upfront with your loved one about the toll it takes on you and why you won’t continue to shout or repeat things.
Nancy is now 89, and she remains eager to encourage others to choose hearing aids. “I would tell anyone reluctant to get hearing aids that you’ll enjoy life more, and your family will thank you for having them.”
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