Football games with Ted are miserable. Enjoying the game is impossible because the volume is cranked up so loud that the walls rattle. All you can hear is the roar of the crowd hammering against your body, punctuated by the ear-shattering staccato of the commentator’s play-by-play calls.
It isn’t fun. But for Ted, it’s a normal volume. Everything has to be at top volume for him to be able to hear it, making it pretty obvious that it’s time to consider hearing aids. You’re just not certain how to tell him that. His sensitivity about the topic makes what should be a straightforward conversation a lot more challenging.
These tips are a good place to start.
You Can Suggest he Gets a Simple Hearing Test
Ted has to find out more about his hearing from a specialist. He might not trust other people when they tell him he needs a hearing aid. In that situation, the strategy will be convincing Ted (or anyone like him) to come see us.
You may be able to accomplish that by utilizing one of the following strategies:
- Suggest the two of you go together for back-to-back assessments. This is a beneficial way to discuss a new medical situation. You may find out that you also have some degree of hearing loss (it could depend on how long you’ve been exposed to a high-volume noise).
- Emphasize that he’ll only be having a basic screening. In most cases, hearing screenings are quick and easy. His hearing will be categorized by frequency on an audiogram. The meaning of the information can then be broken down by us.
Chat About Hearing Loss Behaviors
Hearing loss is often undetectable because it advances so gradually. When this happens, you might pick up certain behaviors without recognizing it. By focusing your conversation 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 situations where you have to translate what somebody said. Here’s a hypothetical example: your friend says something at dinner, Ted doesn’t hear or comprehend it, and you have 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 on the phone because he has trouble hearing what they say.
- Letting him know that his family has observed him struggling to hear. Maybe that’s why fewer people are going to his home to watch the Big Game each year, they have a hard time dealing with the loud television.
The goal during these talks is to keep your discussion focused on these behaviors instead of the disorder. Instead of discussing how Ted is experiencing hearing loss, mention how his hearing loss effects those around him.
Talk About Hearing Aid Technology
In some cases, reticence to using hearing aids comes from outdated (but understandable) ideas of what hearing aids do and how they impact one’s personal appearance. It might not be a bad idea to emphasize the innovative technology used by modern hearing aids.
The following are some examples:
- Usually, modern hearing aids are so small you can’t even notice them. Not only that, modern hearing aids are amazingly comfortable for the wearer. They’re not cumbersome like they once were. They won’t even be noticed by most people.
- Modern hearing aids have a considerable amount of technology. Thanks to connectivity, for instance, your hearing aids will pair easily with your phone or even your television speakers. This provides 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 additional features.
Hearing aids, for many people, are a perfect extension to their other smart technology. In this modern world, hearing aids are incredibly practical and will help you enjoy activities such as live streaming.
Promote The Long-Term Advantages
Lastly, it’s worth taking time to mention the long-term benefits of hearing aids, which have been shown to help people keep (or recover) their cognitive faculties. To put it bluntly, hearing is crucial to a person’s mental health.
You will keep more of your hearing undamaged in the long run if you manage your hearing loss as soon as you can. When you have hearing impairment, your ears have a difficult time processing particular wavelengths and hearing aids are calibrated to fill in those missing frequencies. When you simply turn the volume up you don’t fill in the specific missing frequencies.
Getting treatment as soon as you begin experiencing hearing loss can help save your hearing, and knowing that will help convince people like Ted to seek help.