Football games with Ted are the worst. He has the volume cranked up so loud the walls rattle, and you certainly can’t pay attention to the game. All you notice is the thunder of the crowd hammering against your body, punctuated by the ear-shattering staccato of the commentator’s play-by-play calls.
It’s not fun. But the volume sounds fine for Ted. He needs the TV to be extremely loud so he can hear it, which makes it rather clear he needs a hearing aid. You’re just not sure how to talk to him that. It should be a simple conversation, but he seems excessively sensitive about the topic.
These tips are a good place to start.
You Can Suggest he Gets a Basic Hearing Test
Ted needs to learn more about his hearing from a specialist. Other people may not seem as credible when they tell him about it. If that’s the case, the strategy will be convincing Ted (or anybody like him) to come see us.
You might be able to do that by making use of one of the following tactics:
- Emphasize that he’ll only be having a simple screening. In most cases, hearing screenings are fast and easy. Ted will get his results on an audiogram, which will analyze his hearing by frequency. The significance of the results can then be broken down by us.
- Offer to get a screening with him. This is a helpful way to broach a new medical situation. You may discover that you also have some degree of hearing loss (it could depend on how long you’ve been exposed to a high-volume noise).
Comment on Hearing Loss Behaviors
Hearing loss is frequently indiscernible because it advances so gradually. When this happens, you may acquire certain behaviors without recognizing it. By focusing your conversation on those behaviors, you can subtly (or not so subtly) hint that Ted (or someone like him) needs a hearing aid.
Try some of these strategies:
- Point out that he’s been avoiding talking to family members and friends by phone because he has trouble hearing what’s being said.
- Point out instances where you need to translate what somebody said. It might happen like this: somebody is talking to Ted but you’re closer and Ted needs you to constantly repeat what was said because he can’t understand them.
- Informing him that his family has noticed him straining to hear. Perhaps that’s why fewer individuals are going to his house to watch the Big Game each year, they have a difficult time dealing with the loud television.
When you have these conversations focusing on these behaviors, not the condition, will be the goal. Instead of talking about how Ted is experiencing hearing loss, point out how his hearing loss effects those around him.
Emphasize The Technology in Modern Hearing Aids
In some instances, reticence to wearing hearing aids comes from antiquated (but understandable) impressions of what hearing aids do and how they affect one’s personal appearance. It may not be a bad idea to emphasize the innovative technology used by contemporary hearing aids.
The following are some examples:
- Some hearing aids can even monitor your health and fitness biometrics and translate them in real time as well as other added features.
- Modern hearing aids are usually very small and almost completely unseen to the naked eye. Not only that, modern hearing aids are exceptionally comfortable for the wearer. They’re not bulky like they once were. Most individuals will most likely never detect you’re wearing them.
- The technology of modern hearing aids is pretty advanced. Your hearing aid will connect wirelessly with your phone, TV, and other smart devices thanks to Bluetooth® connectivity. With this tech, the volume of your devices will be amplified without noise and feedback.
For many people, hearing aids feel like an extension of their smartphones or tablets. Modern hearing aids are very helpful pieces of technology that allow you to enjoy live streaming.
Promote The Long-Term Advantages
Finally, take the time to point out the connection between hearing loss and cognitive decline. In other words, your brain health depends on you being capable of hearing clearly.
The sooner you manage your hearing loss, the more hearing you’re likely to keep in the long run. When you have hearing loss, your ears have a hard time processing specific wavelengths and hearing aids are calibrated to fill in those missing frequencies. When you simply turn up the volume you don’t fill in the specific missing frequencies.
Getting treatment as soon as you begin noticing hearing loss can help save your hearing, and understanding that will help persuade people like Ted to seek help.