When someone you love has hearing loss, then communicating with them effectively becomes difficult, but it’s important you do your best to keep those lines of communication open because so many people with hearing loss end up feeling lonely and isolated which is can be bad for their mental health.
The good news is, there are lots of things you can do to more effectively communicate with people who are experiencing hearing loss, so that you can maintain your connection and keep them in the loop, as you will see below.
Position Yourself Correctly
One thing that will significantly improve how well you are able to communicate with someone experiencing hearing loss is ensuring that you are in the right position when you speak. Make sure they can clearly see your face, so even if they cannot hear you as well as they once did, they will be able to use visual cues such as the way your lips move and the facial expressions you pull, to work out what is being said. If possible, you should also try to make sure you are well-lit when speaking with them.
Speak Clearly and Slow Down
Obviously, if you are speaking to someone with hearing loss, it is very important that you speak as clearly as possible and that, if you tend to be a fast speaker, you slow down to a moderate pace, so that it is easier for them to follow what you are saying. That being said, you should avoid shouting or overenunciating your words as that can also be confusing and difficult to follow and many people with hearing loss can be upset when they are shouted at, even if you are doing so with the best of intentions.
Use Gestures and Visual Clues
We do not only communicate with our words, but also with our hands and facial expressions, so if you are speaking with someone who has hearing loss, it is a good idea to use body language to help convey what it is you are saying and show them the tone of speech in a visual way too. This will help them immensely.
Choose a Quiet Place
It goes without saying that it will be much easier to effectively communicate with someone who is experiencing hearing loss if you choose a quiet place to do so. If you try to talk to them in a crowded room or on a busy street with lots of traffic, then the background noise might make it impossible for them to catch what you’re saying. If possible, move to a quieter area where you stand the best chance of being understood.
Be Patient and Understanding
It can be frustrating when you are trying to communicate with someone who has hearing loss who is not able to understand you as well as you would like! Even if they have hearing aids prescribed by an audiologist, there are going to be times when they find processing conversation more difficult than others especially if you are in a noisy environment. If you get upset or frustrated with your loved one, it can really knock their confidence and make them feel embarrassed or inferior, which can lead to social isolation. Take your time, try to be as patient and understanding as possible. Take your time when having a conversation with your loved one, if they do not understand the first time rephrase what you were saying to help them better understand the conversation.
Encourage Them to Use Hearing Aids
If your loved one does not already use hearing aids, then encouraging them to do so, sooner, rather than later. For one thing, as soon as they get a hearing aid, they will find that they can hear much more clearly than they did before, which will definitely make communicating much easier. Encourage your loved one to talk to an audiologist about the hearing loss they are experiencing. The sooner someone who is experiencing hearing loss gets hearing aids, the less likely it is that their hearing will significantly decrease in the future.
Check in Regularly
Checking in with your loved one regularly will help them to avoid the social isolation that often accompanies hearing loss and enable you to practice communicating as effectively as possible.
Get in Touch with Audiology & Hearing Aid Solutions Today
If you would like to know more about hearing loss and its impact on communications, you can speak to a knowledgeable audiologist by calling Audiology & Hearing Aid Solutions at (973) 721-6520 or (201) 375-9081. From hearing tests to hearing aids, we’re here to help.
