No matter what, talking to your loved one about their hearing loss will be a hard conversation. Telling someone you love that their condition has gone untreated for too long can be awkward or uncomfortable. But if you care about them, it needs to be done. Your audiologist at Topeka ENT has put together a list of tips to guide your conversation to help ensure it is successful.
Pick the Right Time
While there will be no perfect time to have this conversation, planning out a strategy can help it go as smoothly as possible. You’ll want to talk somewhere private and without too much background noise. You can invite them over for lunch or meet at a quiet cafe for a cup of coffee. Letting them know you have something important to talk to them about will ensure they come into the conversation ready to listen.
Come from the Right Place
Your conversation should be coming from a place of love, not anger or frustration. As soon as you start to point fingers, they will become defensive. Nothing will be accomplished if they feel like you are attacking them; if anything it may cause them to resent you.
Make the Right Assumptions
Assume that your loved one already knows they have hearing loss. Whether they have been willing to admit it to themselves or not, they have noticed that they are asking others to repeat themselves more or are turning the volume up on the TV louder than they used to.
Instead of focusing the conversation on pointing out all the reasons why you think they have hearing loss, try explaining how their untreated loss affects those around them.
Show the Right Emotions
Be empathetic. Hearing loss can be scary, especially if you are unsure of how to handle it. If your loved one starts sharing, that is your cue to sit and listen. Acknowledge their concerns and try your hardest to avoid interrupting them or offering a counter point.
Offer the Right Support
Once your loved one is ready to seek treatment, make sure you show them you are there for them every step of the way. Offer to go with them to their hearing appointments and help them prepare their list of questions for the audiologist. It is a lot easier to follow through with something scary if you have someone there with you every step of the way.
To learn more about talking to your loved one about hearing loss or to schedule an appointment, contact the experts at Topeka ENT today.
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