Watching sports with Ted is very frustrating. Paying attention to the game is impossible because the volume is cranked up so loud that the walls shake. The announcer’s play-by-play calls are an ear shattering staccato against the deafening roar of the crowd.
It isn’t fun. But for Ted, the volume is normal. Everything needs to be at max volume in order for him to hear it, making it rather apparent that it’s time to consider hearing aids. You’re just not sure how to talk to him that. It should be a simple conversation, but he seems excessively sensitive about the topic.
The following are some tips that might help.
Encourage a Simple Screening
Ted needs to find out more about his hearing from a specialist. Other people might not sound as credible when they talk to him about it. In that situation, the strategy will be getting Ted (or anybody like him) to come see us.
You might be able to accomplish that by making use of one of the following strategies:
- Offer to get a screening with him. This can make starting the conversation easier. It’s possible you’ll discover that you’ve experienced some hearing loss, too (it may depend on how long you’ve been exposed to a high-volume noise).
- Try making him feel more at ease by letting him know that it’s just a simple screening. In the vast majority of cases, hearing screenings are fast and easy. Ted will get his results on an audiogram, which will analyze his hearing by frequency. We can detail what the results mean.
Talk About Behaviors Linked To Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is frequently indiscernible because it advances so slowly. Specific subconscious behaviors often develop when this happens. By focusing your discussion on those behaviors, you can subtly (or not so subtly) hint that Ted (or somebody like him) needs a hearing aid.
Try some of these strategies:
- Point out that you’ve noticed how often you’re “translating” for him. It might happen like this: your friend says something at breakfast, Ted doesn’t hear or understand it, and you need to repeat what they said to Ted because you’re closer to him.
- Point out that he’s been avoiding talking to family members and friends by phone because he has trouble hearing what they say.
- Informing him that his family has observed him struggling to hear. Perhaps that’s why fewer people are going to his home to watch the Big Game each year, they have a difficult time dealing with the loud television.
The goal during these conversations is to keep your discussion focused on these behaviors instead of the ailment. Instead of discussing how Ted is experiencing hearing impairment, mention how his hearing loss effects people in his life.
Highlight The Technology in Modern Hearing Aids
In some instances, reluctance to wearing hearing aids comes from antiquated (but understandable) notions of what hearing aids do and how they impact one’s personal appearance. It may not be a bad idea to emphasize the innovative technology employed by modern hearing aids.
The following are some examples:
- Modern hearing aids are usually extremely small and almost entirely unseen to the naked eye. That’s not all, modern hearing aids are amazingly comfortable for the wearer. They’re not cumbersome like they once were. They won’t even be seen by most people.
- Modern hearing aids carry an immense amount of technology. Thanks to connectivity, for example, your hearing aids will pair seamlessly with your phone or even your television speakers. This delivers amplified volumes without noise or feedback.
- Some hearing aids can even monitor your health and fitness biometrics and translate them in real time as well as other additional features.
Hearing aids, for many individuals, are an ideal extension to their other smart technology. In this modern world, hearing aids are incredibly useful and will help you enjoy activities such as live streaming.
Highlight The Long-Term Advantages
Finally, take some time to point out the link between hearing loss and mental health decline. To put it bluntly, hearing is crucial to a person’s mental health.
You will keep more of your hearing intact in the long run if you manage your hearing loss as soon as possible. Hearing aids are calibrated to fill in specific sound wavelengths which your ears have a hard time discerning. When you simply turn the volume up you don’t fill in the particular frequencies that are missing.
Recognizing that your hearing can be preserved by getting treatment when you first notice signs of hearing impairment will help people like Ted feel comfortable seeking the help they need.