It’s something a lot of individuals cope with, but most don’t want to talk about – hearing loss and its impact on personal relationships. Both partners can feel aggravated by the misunderstandings that are created by hearing loss.
This is the ideal time for you to show your love and appreciation for your loved one with Valentine’s Day right around the corner. Discussing hearing loss together is a great way to do this.
Having “the talk”
A person with untreated hearing loss has a 2.4 times more likely risk of experiencing cognitive conditions including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease according to some studies. When the region of your brain responsible for hearing becomes less engaged, it can begin a cascade effect that can impact your whole brain. This is called brain atrophy by doctors. You remember how the old saying goes, “use it or lose it”.
Depression cases are nearly half in individuals who have healthy hearing compared to people who have hearing loss. Research shows that as a person’s hearing loss worsens, they frequently become stressed and agitated. The individual may begin to isolate themselves from friends and family. They are also likely to stop getting involved in the activities they once enjoyed as they sink deeper into a state of sadness.
This, as a result, can result in relationship strain among mother and son, father and daughter, close friends, spouses, and others in this person’s life. It’s important to be patient and work together to determine solutions to communication difficulties.
Mystery solved
Your loved one may not be ready to tell you they are developing hearing loss. They might be afraid or embarrassed. Denial might have set in. You may need to do some detective work to determine when it’s time to have the talk.
Here are a few outward cues you will need to rely on because you can’t hear what other people are hearing:
- Sudden difficulty with work, hobbies, or school
- Watching TV with the volume really high
- Avoiding busy places
- Complaining about buzzing, humming, static, or other sounds that you don’t hear
- Repeated misunderstandings
- Not hearing important sounds, like the doorbell, dryer buzzer, or someone calling their name
- Avoiding conversations
- Starting to notice anxiety and agitation in social situations
Plan on having a heart-to-heart discussion with your loved one if you notice any of these symptoms.
What is the best way to discuss hearing loss?
Having this conversation might not be easy. A spouse in denial might brush it off or become defensive. That’s why it’s crucial to approach hearing loss in a sensitive and appropriate way. The steps will be pretty much the same but perhaps with some small alterations based on your specific relationship situation.
- Step 1: Inform them how much you love them unconditionally and how much you appreciate your relationship.
- Step 2: The state of their health is very important to you. You’ve read the studies. You know that a higher risk of depression and dementia comes along with neglected hearing loss. You don’t want your loved one to go through that.
- Step 3: You’re also concerned about your own safety and health. An excessively loud television could harm your hearing. Also, your relationship can be affected, as studies have shown that overly loud noise can cause anxiety. Your loved one might not hear you calling for help if you’ve fallen or someone’s broken into the house. Emotion is a powerful way to connect with others. Simply listing facts won’t be as impactful as painting an emotional picture.
- Step 4: Agree together to schedule an appointment to get a hearing test. Do it immediately after making the decision. Don’t delay.
- Step 5: Be prepared for opposition. These could happen anywhere in the process. This is a person you know well. What kind of objections will they have? Money? Time? Possibly they don’t see that it’s a problem. They may feel that homemade remedies will be just fine. (“Natural hearing loss cures” aren’t effective and can even be harmful.)
Be ready with your responses. Even a bit of practice can’t hurt. They don’t need to match those listed above word-for-word, but they should concentrate on your loved one’s concerns.
Relationship growth
Discussing hearing loss isn’t easy if your partner doesn’t want to discuss it. Developing a plan to deal with potential communication problems and the effect hearing loss can have on your relationship will help both partners have confidence that their worries will be heard and understood. By doing this, your relationship will get stronger and your loved one will take steps to live a longer, healthier life. And relationships are, after all, about growing together.
References
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing#
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/hearing-loss-common-problem-older-adults