Don’t Underestimate Your Role in Addressing Loved Ones’ Hearing Loss

Why not make this the year you help a loved one address hearing loss? According to the Better Hearing Institute (BHI), more than half of new, first-time hearing aid owners indicated that family members were a key influencing factor of their hearing aid purchase.
Hearing loss is one of the most commonly unaddressed health conditions in America today and affects more than 48 million Americans. Numerous studies have linked untreated hearing loss to a wide range of physical and emotional conditions, including depression and increased risk of dementia.
According to BHI advisor and author, Dr. Richard Carmen, “hearing helpers” can help numerous ways:
• Although you may think your efforts are loving and helpful, acting as ears for someone is counter-productive and enables them to “hear” without actually hearing.
• Stop repeating yourself, raising your voice, and acting as messenger. Instead, involve the entire family in your efforts to help your loved one hear independently. A concerted effort can help your loved one finally admit he has a hearing problem.
• Explain to your loved one with hearing loss — in a calm, loving voice without condemnation — that you will no longer repeat yourselves or raise your voice. Instead, when they ask for information to be repeated at greater volume, you can use words like “hearing helper” or some other signal to alert them that they are relying on someone else to act as their ears. By doing this, you help them realize how often they have to ask for help in order to hear. Hopefully, the inescapable realization will finally move them to seek treatment.
When you are ready, call Advanced Audiology at 661-200-0977 to help you select the right device in your price range!