“Can you repeat that for me?”
“I’m sorry. One more time, dear?”
“Excuse me – what did you say?”
If you hear these phrases a lot while talking to an older adult with hearing problems, you’re not alone. The National Institute on Aging reports a strong link between aging and hearing loss, with as many as half of all individuals age 75 and older encountering senior hearing problems.
Senior hearing loss usually sneaks up gradually. Eventually, the sensitive inner ear suffers injuries from noise that leads to hearing loss. However, older adults with hearing loss typically wait an average of seven years before obtaining help, and more than 15 million people in the U.S. with hearing loss skip seeking help altogether.
Though senior hearing problems are irreparable, our home care professionals want those who are impacted by its effects to know that there are ways to effectively manage hearing loss. To communicate more effectively, individuals with a hearing loss should practice the following:
- Ask others to speak clearly
- Seek out quiet areas
- Consider using an assistive device — hearing devices, including television-listening systems or telephone-amplifying products, help people hear better while lessening other sounds
- Avoid all distracting background noise
- Look into using devices such as flashing/vibrating clocks and phones; visible doorbell alerts; specialty smoke and burglar alarms
- Position themselves to hear better by facing the person to whom they are communicating
If you’re the family member of an older adult with hearing problems, you can help by:
- Being cognizant of the impact hearing loss has on the older person and the stages of adjustment the senior may go through before acceptance
- Adapting the home environment, when feasible, to accommodate the special needs of those with a hearing loss
- Recognizing the signs of hearing loss and making appropriate referrals
- Seeking out the support of experts at Advanced Home Health Care who have developed expertise in providing quality home care to seniors with hearing loss
For more assistance…
- Contact AssistGuide Information Services for new and improved devices for accommodating hearing loss
- Contact Advanced Home Health Care for help with finding ways to live comfortably in spite of hearing loss
Unfortunately, many older adults start to feel left out and isolated when experiencing hearing loss. The friendly, fully-trained care providers at Advanced Home Health Care offer relief for lonely seniors through companionship, accompanied transportation to appointments and events, and much more. Call us any time at 800-791-7785 or contact us online to discover more about our home care services in Burlington, Fort Madison, Keokuk, or the surrounding areas.
