Watching sports with Ted is very frustrating. He has the volume cranked up so loud the walls rattle, and you certainly can’t tune in to the game. All you can hear is the thunder of the crowd pounding against your body, punctuated by the ear-shattering staccato of the commentator’s play-by-play calls.
It isn’t pleasant. But the volume seems normal for Ted. Everything has to be at top volume for him to hear it, making it rather apparent that it’s time to consider hearing aids. You’re just not sure how to tell him that. His sensitivity about the topic makes what should be a straightforward conversation much more challenging.
The following are several recommendations that may help.
You Can Suggest he Gets a Basic Hearing Evaluation
Ted needs an expert to educate him about his hearing. He may not trust other people when they tell him he needs a hearing aid. If that’s the case, the trick will be convincing Ted (or anyone like him) to come see us.
You may be able to do that by utilizing one of the following strategies:
- Try making him feel more comfortable by letting him know that it’s just a simple assessment. In the vast majority of cases, hearing screenings are quick and easy. His hearing will be broken down by frequency on an audiogram. The meaning of the results can then be clarified by us.
- Offer to get a screening with him. This is a beneficial way to broach a new medical situation. It’s possible you’ll discover that you’ve experienced some hearing loss, as well (it could depend on how long you’ve been exposed to a high-volume sound).
Comment on Hearing Loss Behaviors
Hearing loss occurs slowly, often advancing so slowly it’s not noticeable. Certain subconscious behaviors often develop when this occurs. You can hint in a subtle way that Ted needs a hearing aid by focusing on these behaviors.
Try some of these strategies:
- Informing him that his family has observed him struggling to hear. Every year it seems like fewer and fewer people are going over to see the Big Game and that could be because the TV is so loud.
- Make him aware that he’s not talking on the phone as much as he used to because he has a hard time hearing what his friends are saying on the other end.
- Mention that you’ve observed how often you’re “translating” for him. It might happen like this: somebody is talking to Ted but you’re closer and Ted needs you to keep repeating what was said because he can’t hear them.
When you have these conversations focusing on these behaviors, not the condition, will be the objective. Instead of discussing how Ted is experiencing hearing loss, point out how his hearing loss impacts those around him.
Emphasize The Technology in Contemporary Hearing Aids
Outdated ideas of how a hearing aid impacts your appearance and what hearing aids do, in some cases, leads to reluctance to wear one. It might not be a bad idea to emphasize the innovative technology used by contemporary hearing aids.
Here are some examples:
- The technology of modern hearing aids is quite advanced. Your hearing aid will connect wirelessly with your phone, TV, and other smart devices thanks to Bluetooth® connectivity. This delivers amplified volumes without noise or feedback.
- Usually, contemporary hearing aids are so small you can’t even see them. And, modern hearing aids are also comfortable to wear. They’re not bulky like they once were. Most people will most likely never notice you’re wearing them.
- Some hearing aids can even track your health and fitness biometrics and translate them in real time as well as other additional features.
Hearing aids, for many people, are an ideal extension to their other smart technology. Modern hearing aids are very useful pieces of technology that allow you to enjoy live streaming.
Promote The Long-Term Advantages
Lastly, it’s worth taking time to point out the long-term advantages of hearing aids, which have been demonstrated to help people keep (or recover) their cognitive faculties. To put it bluntly, hearing is crucial to a person’s cognitive health.
The sooner you manage your hearing loss, the more hearing you’re likely to keep over time. When you have hearing impairment, your ears have a hard time processing particular wavelengths and hearing aids are calibrated to fill in those missing frequencies. Simply turning your television volume up is no substitute for this valuable technology.
Getting treatment as soon as you begin noticing hearing loss can help save your hearing, and knowing that will help persuade people like Ted to seek help.
