Posts Tagged ‘hing’

There was a really great article in the Creston News Advertiser yesterday about helping loved ones deal with hearing loss. The writer notes that when a loved one isn’t willing to help himself, helping them is one of the most painful challenges for a family to deal with. When the problem involves hearing loss, denial can prevent a person from getting the help they need.

The article also points out the fact that hearing loss affects people of all ages. With loud music and other loud noises capable of causing hearing loss, this is especially true. And when a loved one suffers from hearing loss, their denial might result in them asking people to repeat themselves and speak more loudly. Essentially, this means that loved ones are acting as that person’s ears. Dr. Sergei Kochkin from the Better Hearing Institute is quoted in the article regarding this, saying that doing this for a loved one does not help them. Instead, it “encourages unconstructive codependent relationships” and you will be “enabling the hearing loss to have a negative impact on many aspects of your loved one’s quality of life, including job performance.”

No doubt, helping loved ones deal with hearing loss is a serious matter that requires patience and understanding, and working to bring the person to terms with their hearing loss so that they will get treatment for it. In the article, Dr. Richard Carmen from the Better Hearing Institute has some advice for this matter. He stresses that acting as your loved one’s ears is “counter-productive,” as they have no reason to seek treatment if you’re doing the work for them. He suggests instead that people involve their entire family in the effort to help their loved one hear again — family members can explain in a “calm, loving voice without condemnation” that they won’t be raising their voices or repeating themselves anymore.

Additionally, he advises that when your loved one asks someone to speak louder or repeat themself, to use a signal word like “Hearing Helper” as a way to alert that person that they are relying on another person to be their ears. This action, he says, will help your loved one realize just how many times they have to ask for assistance. The hope is that they will realize they need to get treatment.

Help with Hearing Loss

Hearing aids can help with hearing loss. If you or a loved one is suffering from hearing loss, feel free to contact Hearing Aid Express to find out more information about how hearing aids may be able to help you. We have convenient locations in Austin, Dallas and Houston. We can also be reached through our contact form.