How To Support A Loved One When You Suspect They Have Hearing Loss
When a person develops a hearing loss later in life, they are usually the last one to know or to recognize the changes in their hearing. Family members and friends are typically the first to notice if a loved one has developed a hearing loss.
Some key signs of hearing loss you may notice in another person include:
- Asking you to repeat things more frequently,
- Saying you are mumbling or talking to low often,
- Having the television volume turned up louder then seems necessary.
Talking to someone about their hearing loss can be very difficult and for many people, their family members mentioning it may be the first time they have considered a hearing loss as a possibility. When a person is told that they may have a hearing loss, they can react in a variety of ways. Some may accept this new information in a positive way by deciding to take action and get their hearing checked, while others may show resistance and deny that they may have a hearing problem.
Webinar
In this recorded webinar, you will learn how to have the difficult conversation about hearing loss with a loved one. It will leave you with a better understanding of their experience and reactions, as well as knowledge about the next steps to address their possible hearing loss.
Once you have watched the above video, please take a moment to complete our short survey. This will help us ensure our materials are as helpful as possible for you and how we can make improvements or ideas for other resources you would like us to offer.
Other Resources for Family
Having a great support system is key for anyone who is coping with hearing loss. It is important for them to be surrounded by people who understand their needs and who are willing to make changes to their ways of communication so that the person with hearing loss can be included. It takes time to adjust to hearing loss, and surrounding the person who is learning to cope with positivity and encouragement will lead to a better long term outcome and help make the journey easier.
It is a great idea for family members or friends of persons with hearing loss to stay informed about communication strategies and other information relating to hearing loss. CHHA-NL offers many educational resources, including handouts on Communication, as well as other Webinars. You can also reach out to one of CHHA-NL’s hearing loss support specialists and get answers to any questions you have.
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH
Have questions about something you learned here?
Please reach out to Andrea Augot, Coordinator of Client Services with your questions.
E-mail:
aaugot@chha-nl.ca (or use the contact form at the bottom of this page)
Phone:
(709) 753-3224 ext: 228
Toll free 1-888-753-3224 ext: 228
Please leave a voicemail and Andrea will return your call
Facebook:
Messenger: betterhearingNL