When your mother is always a few seconds too late to laugh at the punchline of a joke or your father stops talking on the phone because it’s too hard to hear, it is time to discuss hearing aids. Although hearing loss is detectable in a quarter of individuals between the ages of 65 and 74 and 50% of individuals over 75, getting them to recognize their difficulties can be another matter altogether. Most individuals won’t even detect how much their hearing has changed because it worsens gradually. Even if they do recognize it, acknowledging that they need hearing aids can be a huge step. If you want to make that discussion easier and more productive, observe the following advice.
How to Discuss Hearing Aids With a Loved One
Recognize That it Won’t be a Single Conversation But a Process
When preparing to have a conversation about a family member’s hearing loss, you have lots of time to consider what you will say and how the person may respond. When preparing, it’s recommended to frame this as a process rather than a single conversation. It may take a number of discussions over weeks or months for your loved one to acknowledge they have a hearing issue. There isn’t anything wrong with that! Let the conversation have a natural flow. You really need to hold off until your loved one is very comfortable with the decision before going ahead. After all, hearing aids do no good if somebody won’t wear them.
Pick The Appropriate Time
Pick a time when your loved one is relaxed and alone. If you choose a time when other people are around you might draw too much attention to your loved one’s hearing problems and they could feel like they’re being ganged up on and attacked. To ensure that your loved one hears you correctly and can actively engage in the conversation, a quiet one-on-one is the best idea.
Be Open And Straightforward in Your Approach
Now is not the time to beat around the bush with obscure statements about your worries. Be direct: “Mom, I’d like to talk to you concerning your hearing”. Point out circumstances where they’ve insisted people are mumbling, had a hard time hearing tv programs or asked people to repeat themselves. Rather than talking about your loved one’s hearing itself, talk about the impact of hearing issues on their daily life. You could say something like “You aren’t going out with your friends as much anymore, could that be because you have a difficult time hearing them?”.
Acknowledge Their Concerns And Underlying Fears
Hearing loss frequently corresponds to a larger fear of losing independence, particularly for older adults dealing with physical frailty or other age-related changes. If your loved one is unwilling to talk about hearing aids or denies the problem, attempt to understand his or her point of view. Let them know that you recognize how hard this conversation can be. Waite until later if the conversation begins to go south.
Provide Help With Further Action
The most successful conversations about hearing loss occur when both people work together to take the next steps. Part of your loved one’s resistance to admit to hearing loss might be that he or she feels overwhelmed about the process of buying hearing aids. Provide your assistance to make the transition as smooth as possible. Print out and rehearse before you talk. We can also check to see if we accept your loved one’s insurance before they call. Some people may feel embarrassed about needing hearing aids so letting them know that hearing loss is more common than they think.
Realize That Hearing Aids Aren’t The End of The Process
So your loved one consented to consult us and get hearing aids. Great! But there’s more to it than that. It takes time to adjust to hearing aids. Your loved one has new sounds to process, new devices to take care of, and perhaps some old habits to unlearn. Be an advocate during this adjustment time. If your family member is dissatisfied with the hearing aids, take those concerns seriously.
