A friendly man, probably in his sixties, walks into my room and begins his story:
“I don’t think my hearing’s too bad, but my wife and daughter do complain. It’s because they try to talk to me when the TV’s on, or when they are in another room.” Already I know his story. He can hear their words but not understand them, he can catch the end of the sentence but lose the meaning from missing the first few words and if people don’t look at him it is as though they are mumbling. This is a typical story for a man in his sixties. Often it is a man who has held a successful, responsible job, who has now retired and can’t seem to communicate with those around him. Consequently such a man starts to feel down, even a bit silly, and starts to withdraw. Hence, a vicious circle of poor communication grows.
Often, a hearing aid is needed, often one with advanced sound processing features, one that can preference speech over background noise and can minimize sudden shrill sounds that are prevalent in modern cafes and restaurants.
Importantly, the life changing effects of a hearing aid can only go so far alone. For a hearing aid to be successful it must be combined with the cooperation of those with whom the hearing impaired person communicates with. Small, simple habitual changes such as getting someone’s attention before you begin talking, talking directly to each other, standing within 2 metres of each other, turning off TVs and radios and highlighting the topic of conversation at the start of a sentence can make a massive difference on such a person’s life. These habits are called ‘communication strategies’ by audiologists, and they are just as important as the hearing aid itself.
When you come for a hearing assessment, for a hearing aid fitting or advice, please encourage your partner to come with you. Communication is a two-way street and by knowing a few of these simple routines communication can be so much more rewarding.