Football games with Ted are the worst. He has the volume cranked up so loud the walls shake, and you certainly can’t pay attention to the game. All you can hear is the thunder of the crowd hammering against your body, punctuated by the ear-shattering staccato of the commentator’s play-by-play calls.
It isn’t at all enjoyable. But the volume seems fine for Ted. Everything has to be at top volume for him to be able to hear it, making it rather apparent that it’s time to think about hearing aids. You’re just not sure how to tell him that. It should be a straightforward conversation, but he seems excessively sensitive about the topic.
The following are a few tips that could help.
Recommend a Simple Screening
Ted has to find out more about his hearing from a specialist. Other people may not sound as credible when they talk to him about it. If that’s the case, the trick will be convincing Ted (or anyone like him) to come see us.
One of the following strategies might help you do that:
- Attempt to make him feel more comfortable by letting him know that it’s just a simple screening. In the vast majority of cases, hearing screenings are quick and easy. His hearing will be broken down by frequency on an audiogram. The significance of the information can then be broken down by us.
- Offer to get a screening too. This is a helpful way to discuss a new medical situation. You might find out that you also have some degree of hearing loss (it could depend on how long you’ve been subjected to a high-volume noise).
Comment on Hearing Loss Behaviors
Hearing loss is frequently undetectable because it progresses so gradually. When this happens, you might acquire certain behaviors without realizing it. You can hint in a subtle way that Ted needs a hearing aid by focusing on these behaviors.
Try some of these strategies:
- Make him aware that he’s not talking on the phone as much as he once did because he has a difficult time hearing what his friends are saying on the other end.
- Point out instances where you have to translate what somebody said. Here’s a hypothetical example: someone is talking to Ted but you’re closer and Ted needs you to constantly repeat what was said because he can’t understand them.
- You could tell him your family has noticed he’s been having a difficult time hearing. Maybe that’s why fewer individuals are going to his house to watch the Big Game each year, they have a difficult time dealing with the loud television.
The goal during these talks is to keep your discussion focused on these behaviors rather than the ailment. Instead of discussing how Ted is experiencing hearing impairment, mention how his hearing loss effects those around him.
Talk About Hearing Aid Technology
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 contemporary hearing aids.
The following are some examples:
- Modern hearing aids are typically extremely small and almost totally imperceptible to the naked eye. That’s not all, modern hearing aids are incredibly comfortable for the wearer. They aren’t the big and bulky units of the past. They won’t even be seen by most people.
- The technology of modern hearing aids is pretty advanced. Thanks to connectivity, for example, your hearing aids will pair easily with your phone or even your TV speakers. This provides amplified volumes without noise or feedback.
- Some hearing aids can even track your health and fitness biometrics and render them in real time as well as other added features.
For many people, hearing aids feel like an extension of their smartphones or tablets. In this modern world, hearing aids are extremely practical and will help you enjoy activities like live streaming.
Highlight The Long-Term Benefits
Lastly, it’s worth taking time to mention the long-term benefits of hearing aids, which have been demonstrated to help people keep (or recover) their cognitive faculties. Essentially, your brain health depends on you being capable of hearing clearly.
You will keep more of your hearing intact in the long run if you treat your hearing loss as soon as you can. Hearing aids are calibrated specifically to fill in the sound wavelengths your ears have a difficult time discerning. Simply turning up your TV isn’t a substitute for this valuable technology.
Recognizing that your hearing can be preserved by getting treatment when you first observe signs of hearing loss will help people like Ted feel comfortable getting the help they need.