Football games with Ted are the worst. He has the volume cranked up so loud the walls rattle, and you certainly can’t tune in to the game. All you notice is the roar of the crowd pounding against your body, punctuated by the ear-shattering staccato of the commentator’s play-by-play calls.
It isn’t in any way pleasant. But the volume sounds normal for Ted. He needs the TV to be tremendously loud so he can hear it, which makes it pretty clear he needs a hearing aid. How to talk to him about it is the problem. His sensitivity about the topic makes what should be a simple conversation a lot more challenging.
The following are several recommendations that might help.
You Can Recommend he Gets a Basic Hearing Exam
Ted needs an expert to inform him about his hearing. Other people may not sound as credible when they tell him about it. In that situation, the trick will be convincing Ted (or anyone like him) to come see us.
One of the following strategies may help you do that:
- Recommend that both of you go together for back-to-back assessments. This is a helpful way to discuss a new medical situation. You might find out that you also have some level of hearing loss (it could depend on how long you’ve been subjected to a high-volume sound).
- Attempt to make 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 categorized by frequency on an audiogram. The significance of the results can then be clarified by us.
Chat About Hearing Loss Behaviors
Hearing loss happens gradually, often progressing so slowly it’s unnoticeable. Specific subconscious behaviors often develop when this occurs. You can hint in a discreet way that Ted needs a hearing aid by focusing on these behaviors.
Try some of these approaches:
- You could tell him your family has observed he’s been having a hard time hearing. Maybe that’s why fewer people are going to his house to watch the Big Game each year, they have a tough time coping with the loud television.
- Point out that you’ve observed how often you’re “translating” for him. It might happen like this: your friend says something at breakfast, Ted doesn’t hear or understand it, and you need to repeat the sentence to Ted because you’re closer to him.
- Point out that he’s been evading talking to friends and family members by phone because he has trouble hearing what they say.
The goal during these conversations is to keep your discussion centered on these behaviors rather than the disorder. Instead of talking about how Ted is experiencing hearing impairment, point out how his hearing loss impacts those around him.
Talk About Hearing Aid Technology
Outdated notions of how a hearing aid affects your appearance and what hearing aids do, in some circumstances, results in reticence to wear one. It may not be a bad idea to emphasize the innovative technology utilized by contemporary hearing aids.
The following are some examples:
- Typically, contemporary hearing aids are so small you can’t even notice them. Not only that, modern hearing aids are incredibly comfortable for the wearer. They’re not bulky like they once were. They won’t even be seen by most people.
- The technology of modern hearing aids is very advanced. Thanks to connectivity, for instance, your hearing aids will pair seamlessly with your phone or even your TV speakers. This provides amplified volumes without feedback or noise.
- Some hearing aids can even track your health and fitness biometrics and translate them in real time as well as other additional features.
For many individuals, hearing aids feel like an extension of their smartphones or tablets. Modern hearing aids are extremely helpful pieces of technology that help you enjoy live streaming.
Highlight The Long-Term Benefits
Finally, take the time to emphasize the connection between hearing loss and mental health decline. To put it bluntly, hearing is critical to a person’s cognitive health.
The sooner you address your hearing loss, the more hearing you’re likely to keep in the long run. Hearing aids are calibrated specifically to fill in the sound wavelengths your ears have a hard time discerning. When you simply turn up the volume you don’t fill in the specific frequencies that are missing.
Getting treatment as soon as you begin experiencing hearing loss can help save your hearing, and understanding that will help convince people like Ted to seek help.