Watching sports with Ted is extremely difficult. Enjoying the game is impossible because the volume is cranked up so loud that the walls shake. All you notice is the thunder of the crowd pounding against your body, punctuated by the ear-shattering staccato of the commentator’s play-by-play calls.
It isn’t at all pleasant. But for Ted, the volume is normal. He needs the TV to be tremendously loud so he can hear it, which makes it rather obvious he needs a hearing aid. How to talk to him about it is the difficulty. It should be a straightforward discussion, but he seems overly sensitive about the topic.
The following are some tips that may help.
You Can Recommend he Gets a Simple Hearing Exam
Ted needs a specialist to educate him about his hearing. He might not trust other people when they tell him he needs a hearing aid. If that’s the case, the strategy will be convincing Ted (or anyone like him) to come see us.
One of the following strategies may help you do that:
- Stress that he’ll only be having a basic assessment. In the vast majority of cases, hearing screenings are fast and easy. His hearing will be broken down by frequency on an audiogram. The meaning of the information can then be clarified by us.
- Offer to get a screening too. This can make beginning the dialogue easier. It’s possible you’ll discover that you’ve experienced some hearing loss, as well (depending on how long you’ve been exposed to loud sound).
Comment on Hearing Loss Behaviors
Hearing loss is frequently undetectable because it progresses so slowly. Certain subconscious behaviors frequently develop when this occurs. You can hint in a subtle way that Ted needs a hearing aid by putting attention on these behaviors.
Try some of these strategies:
- Point out instances where you need to translate what someone said. It may happen like this: your friend says something at breakfast, Ted doesn’t hear or comprehend it, and you need to repeat the sentence to Ted because you’re closer to him.
- Informing him that his family has observed him straining to hear. Every year it seems like fewer and fewer people are going over to see the Big Game and that could be because the TV is turned up so loud.
- Remind Him that he’s not using the phone as much as he used to because he has a hard time hearing what his friends are saying on the other end.
The goal during these discussions is to keep your discussion centered on these behaviors instead of the disorder. Instead of talking about how Ted is experiencing hearing impairment, mention how his hearing loss effects people in his life.
Talk About Hearing Aid Technology
In some instances, reluctance to wearing hearing aids comes from antiquated (but understandable) notions of what hearing aids do and how they affect one’s personal appearance. It may not be a bad idea to emphasize the innovative technology utilized by modern hearing aids.
Here are some examples:
- The technology of modern hearing aids is very advanced. Your hearing aid will connect wirelessly with your phone, TV, and other smart devices thanks to Bluetooth® connectivity. With this tech, the volume of your devices will be amplified without feedback and noise.
- Typically, contemporary hearing aids are so small you can’t even see them. And, modern hearing aids are also comfortable to wear. They aren’t the big and cumbersome units they used to be. They won’t even be noticed by most people.
- Some hearing aids have added features, like the ability to translate in real-time or track key biometrics better than some commercial fitness trackers.
For many individuals, hearing aids feel like an extension of their smartphones or tablets. In this modern world, hearing aids are incredibly practical and will help you enjoy activities like live streaming.
Highlight The Long-Term Benefits
Lastly, it’s worth taking time to point out the long-term benefits of hearing aids, which have been shown to help people keep (or recover) their cognitive faculties. Essentially, your brain health depends on you being able to hear clearly.
You will keep more of your hearing undamaged in the long run if you manage your hearing loss as soon as possible. Hearing aids are calibrated specifically to fill in the sound wavelengths which your ears have a hard time discerning. When you simply turn up the volume you don’t fill in the specific missing frequencies.
Understanding that your hearing can be preserved by getting treatment when you first observe signs of hearing loss will help people like Ted feel comfortable getting the help they need.