How to Support Hearing-Impaired Loved Ones?

Hearing loss is not just something that impacts on the life of the person experiencing it, but on everyone who surrounds them in life too. This is an important thing to bear in mind, as it is important to ensure that the individual’s social and family life is still kept intact and that those around them are going to still be there. If there is someone in your life who is hearing-impaired, then you might be keen to know what you can do to support them as best as possible. As it happens, there are many possible things you can do here.

Speak for yourself

When you are talking with your loved one about their hearing loss, and especially if you are thinking about how it is affecting your own life, then that is a fine thing to do. You should be open and honest about communicating how it is affecting you, while of course being aware of their situation and remaining sensitive to it. But while talking in this way, you should remember not to speak on their behalf or lay any blame at their door. If you are frustrated at having to repeat yourself all the time, for instance, say that you are frustrated – don’t say that your loved one is frustrating you. It is a subtle but powerful difference, and one you will want to be aware of from the start.

Talk to them

When it first happens and they experience hearing loss, you should speak to them and make sure that you are there for them in this essential way. Talking to them is one of the major things that you can do to show that you care, and it is something which is so simple and yet powerful in the way that it shows how much you are there for them. You should ask them how they feel about the situation, what they would like to do going forwards and offer them advice and support. In that way, you will be able to show that you are mostly concerned for their wellbeing, rather than your own concerns and impact from the hearing loss. That is a powerful thing to do.

Remind them

There might be times at first when you need to remind them that they are now hearing-impaired, especially if it is a relatively recent development in their life. If you are finding that they forget and that you are having to repeat yourself a lot, then that is a chance to remind them that they are having trouble with their hearing. But be careful how you do this: you don’t want to chastise them, nor should you make it sound as though you are angry with them. It’s just a case of gently reminding them that they are hearing-impaired, before getting back to the conversation that you were having. Over time, you will need to remind them less and less.

Stay positive

While it can be tough living with someone who has hearing loss, or being close to that person, it is important for both of you that you stay positive. The last thing you want is to make them feel as though they are a burden, and they will feel that way if you start to show behavior which suggests that they are irksome or annoying for you. You need to try to stay positive as best as you can, so that you can keep your spirits up and theirs and thereby help them to keep themselves positive as well. This is one of the best things you can do for them, and it’s something that takes practice – but you can start today.

Encourage them to see a professional

It is also a good idea to remind and encourage them to see an audiologist about their hearing. If you feel that they are not quite taking it seriously, or that they are putting it off, reminding them gently could be a good way to show that you care, while providing a genuinely useful service to them. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain by seeing a qualified audiologist, so it is important to make sure that they are aware of that as well. It could be the first step towards a much more fulfilling life.

If you are looking for an audiologist for them to go to, find out more about Albuquerque Hearing and Balance and call today at (505) 750-9569.