How to Support Hearing-Impaired Loved-Ones?

One thing that hearing impaired people report as sometimes frustrating, is the lack of patience from others. It can be a challenge for a hearing-impaired person to fully understand the speech of others, but it is always positive and helpful if those people communicating with them, are patient and kind and their interactions. 

Being hearing impaired may be a new thing for your loved one, and it can always be a much better experience for everyone if you help them by taking the time to fully understand the situation. They may be new things, and new ways of communication are learned, and as with anything new, it takes time to adjust. Patience is a wonderful thing to have, and we can all learn how to be a little more helpful and understanding in all walks of life, but especially when supporting your hearing-impaired loved ones. 

Once you know what your loved one may need, and you know how to help, you will find things much easier, so it is essential to be patient during the initial period of time, which will reduce stress levels significantly all round. Sometimes you may forget what is required of you, so it is a good idea to check in with yourself and your loved ones regularly to ensure there aren’t any misunderstandings.

Adjustments

There may be some new things that you need to learn when helping to support your hearing-impaired loved ones, from a whole new language to learn such as sign language, to how to change and maintain hearing aids, you will find there are plenty of things for you to learn and understand. If this is something new to your loved one as well, then maybe showing interest and learning with them at the same time could be a wonderful experience for you. 

When your loved one receives the diagnosis, they will be given lots of information about communication, improving the ability to hear and ways in which to help themselves through the adjustment period. So, picking up this information, digesting it and putting it into practice, is really going to support your loved one. Then maybe some emotions and challenges to face during this time but learning all you can always about how to support your loved one , is important work. 

Your loved one will be grateful for any time and effort you put into helping them overcome any challenges. Remembering that when learning new things mistakes may be made, and keeping your expectations realistic of yourself, will mean that you can spend more time caring for your loved one and helping them.

Encourage your loved one

Encouraging your loved one to not only be positive, and try to remain calm about a new diagnosis, can be a very useful way in which you can support your loved one. It’s not always about encouragement to wear hearing aids or implement medical interventions, but just a boost of confidence here and there. 

If your loved one is navigating new scenarios or adjusting to wearing a hearing aid this can make the world seem unusual, so if your left one knows that they have someone on their side, encouraging them along the way, and just being there for them, it will make the experience a lot more pleasant for them. Hearing-impaired friends and family may need a little more encouragement here or there, and it is a wonderful thing to be able to help them with this.

Providing support

As well as emotional support your hearing-impaired loved one may need some practical support as well, picking up batteries for hearing aids, contacting people if a piece of equipment breaks, helping them attend audiology appointments and supporting them when out and about communicating with others, are always in which you can help your loved one practically. 

The best way to help support them though is to ask them exactly what help and support would be useful, as everybody is different and while these ideas may apply to many hearing-impaired people, not everyone appreciates the same amount of help and support. Keep in mind that your loved ones are individuals, and will be grateful for your help, but may need to change things if what you are doing doesn’t work out well for them. 

Just discovering new information and researching new technologies with your loved one can also be very useful. Just knowing that someone is there to help whenever they need can be incredibly uplifting and supportive.

Learn more about Peninsula Hearing call today at Poulsbo: 360-697-3061, Port Townsend: 360-379-5458