Hearing loss is a common condition, affecting more than 10% of people in the United States.[1] After a hearing loss diagnosis and hearing aid fitting, you’ll need to figure out how those two things will fit into your life. Let’s look at a few tips you can employ at home to care for your hearing aids and communicate effectively with your family.
Caring for Your Hearing Aids
Your hearing aids will work their best when you take good care of them. The first step in proper hearing aid care is understanding how they work. Read the manual for your devices when you first get them. You’ll find information on how they work, how to care for each part, how to use their companion app (if applicable) and how to troubleshoot common issues.
After you read the manual, establish a nightly cleaning routine with a specialty cleaning kit. It’s easy to forget to clean your devices, especially if you aren’t used to the nightly chore. Consider setting an alarm. When the alarm goes off, clean your hearing aids according to the instructions in their manual, then place them in their charging case. If your hearing aids use disposable batteries, you can replace them whenever they die or when you notice low volume.
Communicating Effectively
Effective communication is crucial to a healthy relationship. Try the following tips to communicate effectively, even with your hearing loss:
- Talk face-to-face. Don’t talk to your family from a different room. Instead, wait until you can speak face-to-face. Ask the speaker to look directly at you while speaking; not at their phone, the TV, etc.
- Swap repeating for rephrasing. Ask the speaker to rephrase their words or add context when you don’t understand something.
- Preserve your energy. Hearing loss can make it harder for you to understand speech, requiring you to use more energy. Make sure you take some time for yourself every day to recharge.
- Speak up. Many people change the pattern of their speech or yell when talking to someone with hearing loss, often without realizing they’re doing it. Remind your family that intentionally slowing their words or yelling may only make speech comprehension more difficult.
Remember that hearing loss doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying time with your family. By caring for your hearing aids and practicing effective communication, you can enjoy each moment you spend with them. For more information on managing hearing loss, contact Advanced Hearing today.
[1] Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Hearing loss. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17673-hearing-loss