Are you looking for ways to ease communication? Even when you wear hearing aids, there may be times when you have a hard time hearing. The good news is that there are a few things you can do to make communication easier. Here are some tips for communicating if you have hearing loss.
Ask for Support
First and foremost, you can ask your loved ones for support. Communication takes two people, so your loved ones need to be on board. If your family and friends don’t know you have hearing loss, now is the perfect time to disclose your hearing loss. You can tell them about your hearing loss as well as share what situations are the most challenging when it comes to hearing.
Asking your loved ones for support will go a long way in helping you communicate. If they’re mindful of your hearing loss they can help you join in conversations and enjoy connecting.
Get The Topic of Conversation
Are you confused whenever someone switches topics of conversation? Are you still thinking about some news about a mutual friend when your conversation partner has moved on to a topic about their work? If you’re getting lost in the conversation, ask for the topic of conversation to get back on the same page. You can also ask your loved ones to tell you the new topic before they start, so you’ll have context right from the beginning.
Face Each Other
No one likes it when someone speaks with their back turned. But if you have hearing loss, you might not understand anything the person is saying if they’re facing away. Gently remind your loved ones to face you when you have a conversation. They might yell from the kitchen to ask if you want a drink, but you most likely won’t hear what they say. Ask them to face you directly to help you hear.
Turn Off Background Sounds
Does the TV keep you company when you’re home? Many of us have the TV on a lot of the time. It can be nice to have some background noise, and you might watch it out of the corner of your eye. However, when it comes to communicating, the TV can make it much harder. All that background noise makes it a lot harder to focus on the conversation. If you have hearing loss, your brain has a harder time separating speech sounds from background sounds. What this means is that instead of focusing on speech and ignoring the background noise, your brain will focus equally on all the noise. Then you have to work hard to figure out which sounds are important, and which aren’t.
Rather than doing all this extra work, turn off the TV or radio when you want to have a conversation. You’ll be able to focus on what’s being said and use all your energy participating in the conversation.
Put Your Best Ear Forward
If you hear better in one ear than the other, you can turn your good ear in the direction of the person speaking. Make sure you don’t turn too far! You still want to be facing the person speaking so you can see their facial expressions and make eye contact. By positioning yourself with your good ear slightly forward, you can make communication easier.
Ask Your Loved One to Write It Down
Is your loved one asking when you’re free for coffee, or if you can meet up on Saturday? Miscommunications are common whenever we talk about dates and times, so make it easier to communicate by writing it down. Ask your loved one to write down the date and time, and always confirm that you heard it right. If you’re on the phone, ask your loved one to send you a text about the date and time to make sure you’re on the same page.
Upgrade Your Hearing Aids
If you’ve been wearing the same hearing aids for three to five years, it might be time for an upgrade. Over time your hearing needs change and your hearing aids might not be the right fit. Hearing aids also get better every year. You may find some exciting new programs and settings that help you hear better than ever before.