It’s something a lot of individuals suffer with, but few want to talk about – hearing loss and its effect on personal relationships. Hearing loss can cause communication obstacles that lead to misunderstandings and aggravation for both partners.
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner isn’t it the perfect time to show your love and appreciation for your loved one? A wonderful way to do this is to have a discussion about your hearing loss.
Having “the talk”
A person with neglected hearing loss has a 2.4 times more likely chance of developing cognitive conditions including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease according to some studies. A cascade effect that will ultimately impact the entire brain will be initiated when the part of your brain in charge of hearing becomes less active. Doctors refer to this as brain atrophy. It’s the “use it or lose it” principle in action.
Depression cases are nearly half in individuals who have healthy hearing compared to people who have hearing loss. Research shows that as a person’s hearing loss progresses, they frequently become stressed and agitated. This can result in the person being self secluded from friends and family. As they fall deeper into depression, people who have hearing loss are likely to avoid taking part in the activities they once enjoyed.
Relationships between family, friends, and others then become tense. It’s essential to be patient and work together to find solutions to communication problems.
Mystery solved
Your loved one may not be ready to inform you they are developing hearing loss. They might be afraid or ashamed. They could be in denial. Deciding when to have the talk could take a little detective work.
Since you can’t hear what your spouse or parent hears, you’ll need to depend on external cues, like:
- Frequent misunderstandings
- Complaining about ringing, humming, static, or other noises that you can’t hear
- Avoiding busy places
- Watching television with the volume really high
- Agitation or anxiety in social settings that you haven’t previously observed
- Failing to hear alerts, doorbells, and other significant sounds
- Avoiding conversations
- Sudden difficulty with work, hobbies, or school
Look for these common symptoms and plan on having a heart-to-heart conversation with your loved one.
What is the best way to discuss hearing loss?
This discussion might not be an easy one to have. A partner in denial might brush it off or become defensive. That’s why it’s important to discuss hearing loss in a sensitive and appropriate way. You might need to alter your language based on your unique relationship, but the steps will be basically the same.
- Step 1: Tell them how much you love them without condition and how much you appreciate your relationship.
- Step 2: The state of their health is important to you. You’ve seen the research. You’re aware that a higher risk of depression and dementia comes along with untreated hearing loss. You don’t want your loved one to experience that.
- Step 3: Your own safety and health are also a concern. Your hearing may be damaged by an excessively loud TV. In addition, research shows that elevated noise can trigger anxiety, which might impact your relationship. Your loved one may not hear you yelling for help if you have a fall or somebody’s broken into the house. People connect with others through emotion. Merely listing facts won’t have as much impact as painting an emotional picture.
- Step 4: Agree together to make an appointment to get a hearing assessment. After you make the decision make an appointment right away. Don’t delay.
- Step 5: Be ready for objections. These could happen at any time in the process. You know this person. What kind of objections will they have? Money? Time? Doesn’t see a problem? Do they think they can utilize homemade remedies? (You know “natural hearing loss cures” don’t really work and could do more harm than good.)
Have your answers prepared beforehand. Even a bit of rehearsal can’t hurt. These responses need to address your loved one’s concerns but they don’t have to match those listed above word-for-word
Relationship growth
If your spouse is unwilling to discuss their hearing loss, it can be difficult. Openly talking about the effect of hearing loss on your relationship can help to establish a plan to address any communication challenges and ensure that both partners are heard and understood. By doing this, your relationship will get stronger and your loved one will take steps to live a longer, healthier life. And relationships are, after all, about growing together.
References
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing#
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hearing-loss-common-problem-older-adults
