Football games with Ted are miserable. Enjoying the game is impossible because the volume is turned up so loud that the walls shake. The announcer’s play-by-play calls are an ear shattering staccato against the earsplitting roar of the crowd.
It’s not pleasant. But for Ted, it’s a normal volume. Everything has to be at top volume in order for him to hear it, making it rather obvious that it’s time to think about hearing aids. You’re just not sure how to tell him that. His sensitivity about the subject makes what should be a straightforward conversation much more challenging.
These tips are a good place to start.
You Can Recommend he Gets a Basic Hearing Test
Ted has to learn more about his hearing from an expert. Other people might not sound as credible when they talk to him about it. If that’s the case, the strategy will be getting Ted (or anybody like him) to come see us.
One of the following tactics may help you do that:
- Attempt to make him feel more comfortable by letting him know that it’s just a simple screening. In most 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.
- Suggest that both of you go together for back-to-back assessments. This can make starting the dialogue easier. You might discover that you also have some level of hearing impairment (it could depend on how long you’ve been subjected to a high-volume sound).
Talk About Behaviors Associated With Hearing Loss
Hearing loss occurs gradually, often advancing so slowly it’s not noticeable. When this happens, you may acquire certain behaviors without knowing 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 approaches:
- Make him aware that he’s not using the phone as much as he once did because he has a difficult time hearing what his friends are saying on the other end.
- Point out that you’ve noticed how often you’re “translating” for him. It may happen like this: your friend says something at dinner, Ted doesn’t hear or understand it, and you need to repeat what they said to Ted because you’re closer to him.
- Informing him that his family has noticed him struggling to hear. Perhaps that’s why fewer individuals are going to his home to watch the Big Game each year, they have a difficult time coping with the loud television.
The goal during these conversations is to keep your discussion centered on these behaviors rather than the ailment. Instead of talking about how Ted is experiencing hearing impairment, mention how his hearing loss effects people in his life.
Highlight The Technology in Modern Hearing Aids
Antiquated notions of how a hearing aid impacts your appearance and what hearing aids do, in some cases, results in reticence to wear one. It may not be a bad idea to emphasize the innovative technology used by modern hearing aids.
Here are some examples:
- Modern hearing aids have a huge amount of technology. Thanks to connectivity, for example, your hearing aids will pair easily with your phone or even your television speakers. This delivers amplified volumes without noise or feedback.
- Modern hearing aids are typically extremely small and almost entirely imperceptible to the naked eye. And, modern hearing aids are also comfortable to wear. They aren’t the big and cumbersome units of the past. They won’t even be noticed by most people.
- Some hearing aids have added features, like the ability to translate in real-time or track important biometrics better than some commercial fitness trackers.
For many individuals, hearing aids feel like an extension of their smartphones or tablets. Modern hearing aids are very useful pieces of technology that allow you to enjoy live streaming.
Highlight The Long-Term Benefits
Finally, take some time to point out the link between hearing loss and mental health decline. Essentially, your brain health depends on you being capable of hearing clearly.
You will keep more of your hearing intact in the long run if you treat your hearing loss as soon as possible. When you have hearing impairment, your ears have a difficult time processing particular wavelengths and hearing aids are calibrated to fill in those missing frequencies. When you simply turn the volume up you don’t fill in the particular missing frequencies.
Getting treatment as soon as you start noticing hearing loss can help save your hearing, and knowing that will help persuade people like Ted to seek help.