Ways to Support Someone with a Hearing Impairment

There is no doubt that hearing loss or impairment is a challenge for anyone who suffers from these conditions. If someone close to you is in this situation, they will inevitably be going through a range of emotions, and you will want to do everything that you can to help them. 

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Empathise with Their Situation

For a long time, people who are suffering from some sort of hearing loss may try to deny the situation that they are in. When it comes to trying to accept it, there is often a grieving process, which is similar when people lose any function. One of the best ways that you can help someone with hearing loss is simply by trying to empathise with what they are going through. There are plenty of common emotions that you can expect to come up against during the grieving process including denial, anger, loneliness, confusion and depression. 

Become an Advocate

One of the best ways that you can show your support to the person in your life with hearing loss is to become an advocate for them. For example, when a group situation is coming up when there is likely to be a lot of background noise, you can call or email the other guests to give them some pointers on some clear communication skills with people who suffer from hearing impairment. You could also offer to stay nearby to them during the event to help out with anything that they have missed. On a more general level, you could get involved with hearing loss charities and fundraisers to help other people who are going through this challenge in their lives. 

Practice Good Communication Skills

Of course, speaking to someone with hearing loss takes more effort, but you need to be prepared to put this in. On the plus side, you tend to have very focused conversations which need to be free of distractions. Maintain eye contact so that you are always facing the other person and keep your mouth uncovered so that they can lip read what you are saying. Instead of raising your voice, focus on speaking clearly and at a normal speed. Use the other person’s name to get their attention before engaging them in conversation. If possible, try to reduce background noise by turning off the TV and making other similar adjustments. If the other person had trouble understanding what you said, rephrase rather than repeating. Try to avoid switching topics on a regular basis as this can make the flow of the conversation a lot more difficult to follow.

Get Your Hearing Checked As Well

Another way of showing your support is by going along to local audiologist appointments with your friend or family member. While you are there, it is worth taking the opportunity to have your own hearing tested – particularly if you are above the age of 40. This is down to the fact that as we age, our chances of suffering from hearing loss increase significantly. Since it is often a gradual process, you may start to lose your hearing without realising what is happening. Even if you really don’t think this is something which is affecting you, it is a good way of giving yourself peace of mind.