Things People with Hearing Loss Wish You Knew

It can be hard to explain hearing loss to family and friends. It’s not just that the sounds seem quiet. Hearing loss also makes speech seem muffled so it’s hard to follow conversations. Hearing loss can also create sensitivity to loud sounds so someone with hearing loss can’t tolerate background noise very well. And one of the biggest things people don’t realize about hearing loss is just how exhausting it can be.

Hearing loss is an invisible disability and people don’t always realize or remember that a friend or loved one has hearing loss. Here are several things people with hearing loss wish you knew. 

Hearing Loss Can Be Incredibly Exhausting

For someone with hearing loss, hearing takes a lot of energy. You probably don’t ever think about hearing, but someone with hearing loss is thinking about hearing all the time. They strain to hear what’s being said, pay very close attention when someone speaks, and try to use context to fill in any gaps in what they understand.

Hearing loss is often very exhausting. By the end of the day, someone with hearing loss doesn’t have any energy left. If your loved one with hearing loss is tired in the evening, remember that hearing loss is exhausting.

Someone with Hearing Loss Isn’t Rude

Has a loved one with hearing loss ever answered a question inappropriately or completely missed the punchline or a joke? Someone with hearing loss isn’t being rude and they’re not stupid. Don’t forget that hearing loss makes it much harder to follow conversations. Rather than assume the person with hearing loss is being rude, repeat or rephrase what you said. Your loved one with hearing loss misheard what you said, so try again.

Let Them Speak for Themselves

Just because a loved one has hearing loss doesn’t mean you should treat them like a child. Someone with hearing loss still has their own opinions and their own voice. If you’re at a restaurant and your loved one can’t hear the waiter, repeat what’s been said and help your loved one answer for themselves. Don’t jump in and answer for them. When you answer on their behalf, it can be insulting, so make sure you always let your loved ones with hearing loss speak for themselves.

Hearing Aids Help, But They’re Not Magic

Hearing aids make a huge difference in helping your loved one hear. Hearing aids make it easier to focus on speech sounds, ignore background noise, and follow conversations. However, hearing aids aren’t magic. They treat hearing loss but they do not restore hearing. This means that even though hearing aids are a huge help, they’re not perfect. 

Be patient with your loved one with hearing loss. They’re wearing hearing aids to help them hear, and they’re using the best programs and settings to make it easier to hear you. But you may still need to repeat yourself sometimes to help them hear you. 

Tips for Easier Conversations

People with hearing loss would love your help. There are a few things you can do that will make it much easier for your loved one with hearing loss to hear you.

Turn off any distracting background noise. Having the TV or radio on in the background can make it much harder for your loved one to hear. Turn off the noise and focus on the conversation so you can communicate easily.

Have face-to-face conversations. This helps your loved one hear, see your facial expression, and pick up on any other non-verbal cues. Avoid speaking with your back turned or speaking from another room.

Rephrase what you said. Rather than repeating something word for word, try rephrasing. Repeating the exact same words won’t make it easier for your loved one to hear, so use different words to get your point across.

Don’t shout, but speak at a normal volume. Raising your voice can actually make it harder to hear by distorting the sounds. So speak at a normal volume, and try rephrasing if your loved one didn’t understand the first time.

Learn More About Hearing Loss

People with hearing loss wish you would learn a bit more about hearing loss. Offer to go with them to their next audiologist appointment and take the time to find out more about hearing loss.