February 14th is Valentine’s Day, which happens to fall in American Heart Month, giving you two excellent reasons to celebrate your relationship. Whether you and your partner have been together for 30 days or 30 years, take some time this month to think about the role communication plays in the happiness of your relationship, and how you can accommodate hearing loss to improve it.
How Untreated Hearing Loss Impacts Your Relationship
Consider the following situation: your partner asked you to pick up 15 lemons at Westview Corner Grocery on your way home from work, but you misheard them and accidentally bought 50. While you can easily make lemonade out of lemons in that single miscommunication, it might be harder to stay positive when those mix-ups happen all too regularly. Over time, frustration or even feelings of resentment can build in your relationship.
Luckily, hearing aids and communication strategies can reduce misunderstandings and foster a more harmonious relationship.
How Do Hearing Aids Help?
An estimated 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from hearing aids. These helpful devices collect, adjust the frequency of and amplify your partner’s voice to provide clarity where there used to be confusion. Not only will they offer clarity, but wearing hearing aids will show your partner how much you care about what they have to say.
Communication Tips
Combining hearing aids with practical communication tips is the best way to prevent misunderstandings and ease frustrations. Try the following:
- Avoid talking to each other from separate rooms
- Watch lip movements and body language to add context to the conversation
- Tap each other on the shoulder before you start speaking
- Turn off or down the TV or radio when having a conversation
- Avoid looking at your phone when talking
- If talking on the phone is difficult, video call whenever possible
- Schedule dinners or other outings for off-peak times to ensure a quieter environment
- Request clarification when you need it
- Be patient and remember that you’re both doing your best
This February, commit to effective and open communication. For more information on managing hearing loss, contact Advanced Hearing today.