As an audiologist, I spend a good portion of the work day communicating with people who have some hearing loss. The most common type being high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, which is the type associated with age and noise. This type of hearing loss can make it sound like others are mumbling, especially people with higher pitched voices. So, it’s no surprise that many of patients have the most trouble hearing their wives.To learn more about the types of hearing loss click here.
It can be easy for the spouse of someone with hearing loss to assume they are simply not paying attention. The next step is usually to take this personally and fuel resentment.
It’s also easy for the listener with hearing loss to cast blame on the speaker for not speaking more clearly. I can see how this particular issue can be at the root of a lot of anger in a relationship affected by hearing loss. The truth is that communication really is a two-way street. Hearing loss makes that street it even bumpier than usual, in both directions. I encourage ALL members of the family to pick up some new speaking habits that can make it easier to understand them. Watch this video blog to ‘Help Them Hear You More Clearly’ (click below) and let me know what you think!
I should note though that these tips are useful with or without hearing aids but using hearing aids can make a huge difference for many people with hearing loss and I encourage you to consider them with an open mind.
What helps you understand speech better in a place like a noisy restaurant? Better lighting? Simply going to quieter restaurants? Hearing aids? Tell me in the comment section below.
Contact me if you’d like communication training tailored for your family or business! I provide on-site coaching about real-world situations that make a big impact.
P.S. I’m working on getting subtitling. In the mean time, if you are having trouble hearing me in the video I suggest trying the free app “Mimi hearing.” The app will allow you to adjust the output of your device for more clarity (blog post on hearing test apps).