When Someone You Know Has A Hearing Loss
The effects of hearing loss are not limited to the hearing impaired person alone. Hearing loss also has a significant impact on family, friends and co-workers. Difficult communication, misunderstandings and the need to repeat what is said can be frustrating for everyone involved. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help make communication easier. The first step is to be aware of the difficulties the hearing impaired person faces.
Facts About Hearing Loss
1.Most people with hearing loss experience both a decrease in the volume of sounds and a decrease in the clarity of speech, even when it is loud enough. Though a person may "hear" what you say, they may not always understand all the words or may confuse some sounds for others.
2. Background noise makes understanding extremely difficult. Even people with normal hearing have difficulty communicating when there is a lot of background noise. For those with hearing loss, the problem is even worse.
3.Many people feel embarrassed about their hearing loss and may nod their head and pretend to understand when they actually don't.
4. Although hearing aids and other assistive listening devices can help, they do not restore hearing to normal the way that eyeglasses correct vision. A person wearing a hearing aid will still have trouble understanding in some situations.
5. It takes time to get used to a hearing aid, especially for those who have had a hearing loss for a long time. Sounds that have been forgotten need to be relearned.
6. Hearing loss can be mistaken for senility in older people. Make sure that a thorough hearing test is part of any health evaluation.
