Say What? Tips for Managing Senior Hearing Issues
“Excuse me?”
“Would you repeat that, dear?”
“I’m sorry – what did you say?”
If this sounds like a standard reaction in your conversations with a beloved older adult, you’re not alone. The National Institute on Aging has found a solid relationship between aging and loss of hearing, with as many as half of those age 75 and older struggling with hearing issues.
Hearing loss generally creeps up gradually on older adults. With time, the wear and tear on the ears from noise attributes to hearing loss by harming the fragile inner ear. In spite of this, seniors with hearing loss generally wait as long as seven years before seeking help, and greater than 15 million people in the U.S. with hearing loss skip seeking help altogether.
Though hearing loss is irreversible, Home & Hearth Caregivers wants older adults who suffer from its effects to know that there are techniques to help effectively manage hearing loss. To communicate more easily, seniors with a hearing loss should commit to doing the following:
- Situate themselves to hear better by facing the person to whom they are talking
- Shut off all distracting background noise
- Ask others to speak clearly
- Choose quiet settings
- Contemplate using an assistive listening device — hearing devices, such as TV-listening systems or telephone-amplifying systems, help people hear better while lessening other sounds
- Consider using devices such as flashing/vibrating clocks and phones; visible doorbell alerts; specialty smoke and burglar alarms
Family members can help by:
- Identifying the signs of hearing loss and making suitable referrals
- Remaining sensitive to the effects hearing loss has on the older person and the stages of adjustment the senior may go through before reaching a level of acceptance
- Altering the home environment, when possible, to provide for the special needs of those with a hearing loss
- Obtaining the support of professionals like Home & Hearth Caregivers who have developed expertise in providing quality home care to seniors with hearing loss
Need more information?
- Visit the League for Hard of Hearing
- Contact Assist Guide Information Services for new and improved devices for accommodating hearing loss
- Contact Home & Hearth Caregivers for insight on discovering ways to live comfortably despite hearing loss
Unfortunately, many seniors begin to feel left out and isolated when struggling with hearing loss. The compassionate, fully-trained Chicago caregivers at Home & Hearth Caregivers can help provide relief for lonely seniors by delivering companionship, accompaniment and transportation to appointments and fun events, and much more. You can reach us any time at 800-349-0663 to find out more about how our Chicago home care services can help seniors maximize their overall wellbeing, safety and independence, right from the comfort of home.