Football games with Ted are miserable. Paying attention to the game is impossible because the volume is turned up so loud that the walls rattle. The commentator’s play-by-play calls are an ear shattering staccato against the deafening thunder of the crowd.
It’s not pleasant. But for Ted, the volume is normal. Everything has to be at max volume in order for him to be able to hear it, making it rather obvious that it’s time to consider hearing aids. How to talk to him about it is the problem. His sensitivity about the topic makes what should be a straightforward conversation much more challenging.
The following are several tips that could help.
Encourage a Basic Exam
Ted needs a specialist to inform him about his hearing. Other people might not seem as credible when they tell him about it. If that’s the case, the trick will be getting Ted (or anyone like him) to come see us.
You may be able to accomplish that by making use of one of the following strategies:
- Attempt to make him feel more at ease by letting him know that it’s just a simple assessment. In most cases, hearing screenings are quick and easy. Ted will receive his results on an audiogram, which will break down his hearing by frequency. We can explain what the results indicate.
- Offer to get a screening too. This can make starting the dialogue easier. You might discover that you also have some degree of hearing loss (depending on how long you’ve been subjected to loud sound).
Talk About Behaviors Connected To Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is frequently indiscernible because it progresses so slowly. Certain subconscious behaviors often 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 approaches:
- Letting him know that his family has observed him struggling to hear. Each year it seems like fewer and fewer people are going over to watch the Big Game and that could be because the TV is so loud.
- Point out that you’ve observed how frequently you’re “translating” for him. It may happen like this: someone is talking to Ted but you’re closer and Ted needs you to constantly repeat what was said because he can’t understand them.
- Remind Him that he’s not using the phone as much as he used to because he has a difficult 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 rather than the disorder. Instead of talking about how Ted is experiencing hearing impairment, mention how his hearing loss impacts those around him.
Talk About Hearing Aid Technology
Antiquated notions of how a hearing aid impacts your appearance and what hearing aids do, in some instances, leads to reluctance to wear one. It may not be a bad idea to emphasize the innovative technology used by contemporary hearing aids.
Here are some examples:
- Usually, modern hearing aids are so small you can’t even notice them. And, modern hearing aids are also comfortable to wear. They aren’t the big and bulky units they used to be. They won’t even be seen by most people.
- Modern hearing aids carry a huge amount of technology. Thanks to connectivity, for example, your hearing aids will pair easily with your phone or even your television speakers. This delivers amplified volumes without feedback or noise.
- Some hearing aids can even monitor your health and fitness biometrics and render them in real time as well as other added features.
Hearing aids, for many people, are a perfect extension to their other smart technology. In this modern world, hearing aids are extremely practical and will help you enjoy activities such as live streaming.
Highlight The Long-Term Benefits
Finally, take some time to point out the connection between hearing loss and mental health decline. To put it bluntly, hearing is critical to a person’s cognitive health.
The sooner you treat your hearing loss, the more hearing you’re likely to keep over time. Hearing aids are calibrated to fill in specific sound wavelengths your ears have a difficult time discerning. When you simply turn up the volume you don’t fill in the specific frequencies that are missing.
Getting treatment as soon as you begin noticing hearing loss can help save your hearing, and understanding that will help convince people like Ted to seek help.
