Loved Ones and Hearing Loss

Raising the possibility of hearing loss with a loved one whom you suspect may be having difficulty with their hearing may at first seem daunting. Often, family and friends avoid the subject for fear of causing offence or making their friend or relative feel bad. This may seem like the easy thing to do, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right approach.

On average it takes an individual with suspected hearing loss around four years to even just arrange a hearing test and seek the advice of an audiologist. That’s more than likely to be four years of frustration and annoyance, not only for the hearing loss sufferer, but also for family and friends too. During those ‘lost’ years its also likely that the person experiencing hearing difficulties will start to gradually disengage with those around them. It’s a slow process at first, often going un-noticed by others, but gradually the signs will begin to become more obvious. A missed social occasion, a party invitation turned down, avoidance of group activities where background noise might make conversation difficult. These are all signs of untreated and unchallenged hearing loss.

A breakdown in communication due to hearing loss can have far-reaching and adverse effects on the important and complex relationships that we depend on as human beings to maintain good physical and mental health. Untreated hearing loss can result in social isolation and disengagement from society in general, contributing to more serious health issues over the longer term that impact on our well-being and overall quality of life.

As a caring and supportive friend or relative, we can strongly argue that it’s our responsibility to help our loved one to take the necessary steps to improving their hearing, firstly acknowledging their hearing difficulties, and then taking positive action to address them. Sparking a conversation that facilitates discussion about the issues surrounding hearing loss often provides relief to those who have been experiencing such problems on their own up to that point and gives reassurance and encouragement that something can be done to improve their situation.

If you know someone who might be in need of such help and would like to arrange a Hearing Assessment, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01765 278 744 or fill in the contact form on this page. If you are unsure where to start then please do get in touch with the team at Hear & Now and we will provide all the advice and assistance that you might need.