Hearing loss can take a toll on communication with loved ones. From asking others to repeat something they’ve said to not being able to fully follow conversations at family gatherings, navigating communication with ipmaired hearing can be challenging. But there are several ways you can improve communication with your family, supporting your hearing needs while also being able to navigate conversations with much greater ease. A few useful tips include the following:
Share Hearing Loss with Family Members
It is important to keep in mind that hearing loss not only impacts you but others around you. Disclosing hearing loss with your loved ones offers several important benefits. This lets them know that you experience hearing challenges which provides them with greater understanding of things that may happen during conversations – asking them to repeat information, speak louder, adjust in specific ways etc. People often report feeling unheard or ignored by their family members with hearing loss. This is largely due to not understanding how hearing loss makes conversations challenging. So letting them know prevents this misunderstanding and also gives them an opportunity to participate in creating accessible spaces and conversations.
Sharing your hearing loss with family members is a great way to discuss your hearing needs and ways they can support those needs. This also alleviates any pressure you may feel to do all of the work in trying to follow conversations. Effective communication requires everyone to participate and take responsibility for that communication.
Wear Hearing Aids
Wearing your hearing aids is incredibly important. Hearing aids are designed to provide significant hearing support throughout the day. These innovative devices alleviate symptoms and increase hearing capacity, allowing people to hear more clearly and easily. Hearing aids should be worn during all waking hours (with the exception of when showering). They enable learners to participate in conversations with greater ease which is necessary for effective communication. Though there is an initial adjustment period to acclimate to hearing aids, they should become second nature. Your hearing aids should fit comfortably and be easy to use. If you experience any challenges with your hearing aids, it is important to have your hearing healthcare provider check them out.
Practice Effective Communication Strategies
You likely know the best ways your hearing can be supported during a conversation. Be sure to share these strategies or the adjustments others can make to create the best conditions for smooth communication. A few strategies that may be helpful include:
- Grab your attention before starting a conversation so that you are ready and present from the beginning.
- Rephrase rather than repeat to avoid using the same words you could have a harder time hearing and processing.
- Reduce background noise as much as possible. Background noise creates more noise for the brain to process, making it more challenging to hear the speech you want to focus on.
- Avoid multitasking which can be distracting and create additional noise. It is common to do things like eat, clean, text etc. while having a conversation. But this can prevent people from being fully present and focused which is especially needed when navigating hearing loss.
- Make use of nonverbal cues like facial expressions and body movements to help provide greater context.
- Speak in a natural voice and avoid projecting. Adding volume can further muffle sound, making it harder to hear. It is helpful to take natural pauses to provide time to process what is being said.
- Check-in throughout the conversation and offer to clarify or make adjustments if needed.
Sharing these strategies is a great way to include others in creating the conditions for effective communication.
Be Patient with Your Devices
Lastly, it is important to remember that it takes time and practice to learn how to communicate optimally with hearing loss. This includes learning what your hearing needs are and the best ways to meet those needs during conversations. So practicing with family members is such a great way to learn what works best for you and what doesn’t. Give yourself and your family members time and flexibility to navigate this new terrain. It is important to be patient and understand that you and others around you are learning and growing together. Contact us to learn more about ways you can improve communication and the resources available to support you with this.