Appalachian Audiology

Helping Loved Ones Cope With Hearing Loss

From our December Newsletter

During the holiday season, we become acutely aware of loved ones who have difficulty hearing. Keep in mind: No one knows they cannot hear unless they are told. They often "mis-hear," often to the glee of friends and family, because the message they perceive is so different from the intended message. During the busy holiday season, this can be readily apparent, because so often, background noise interferes with clear speech perception. How can we help them? Dr. Richard Carmen, a Clinical Audiologist in Arizona, says, "When we think of helping a loved one with hearing loss, we often think of how important it is to repeat ourselves, speak clearly, speak louder or interpret what others say if they cannot hear the message. But when we do these good deeds for loved ones with a hearing loss, what we don't realize is that we're assisting in their failure to seek help. Many people with a hearing loss never realize how much communication they actually fail to understand or miss completely because you have become their ears. However, it takes only a short time for them to realize that without your help, they're in trouble. It is through this realization that one becomes inspired to take positive action to solve their problem." Find out how you can help a loved one deal with hearing loss.   Image provided courtesy of Ambro