Being able to clearly hear the world around you is something that most of us take for granted until it is taken away from us. Unfortunately, as many as 48 million people in the USA have some degree of hearing loss, which can impact not only on their ability to make sense of the world around them but on their ability to form and maintain social connections. Hearing loss can also increase an individual’s risk of dementia, depression and a whole host of other health issues. That’s why it’s so important that anyone who is experiencing hearing loss goes for a hearing test conducted by a qualified audiologist. But what if your loved one doesn’t want to take a hearing test, and you think they should? You’re going to need to convince them that it’s the right thing to do, but before we get onto that, let’s take a look at the most common signs of hearing loss so that if you notice them in your loved one, you can take action.

Common signs of hearing loss

There are many behaviors that could signal your loved one is losing their heart or experiencing hearing impairment that would benefit from a hearing test, they include:

  • Increasing the volume of the TV
  • Misunderstanding conversations
  • Asking friends and family to repeat themselves.
  • Getting frustrated in social situations
  • Turning down invitations and isolating themselves

If you spot any of these signs in any of your loved ones, it would be helpful for you to encourage them to take a gearing test, and here are a few ways you can do that:

Talk to them about it

The first step to encouraging your loved one to take a hearing test with a qualified audiologist is to talk to them about the issue. Let them know that you’ve noticed the tell-tale signs that there could be an issue with their hearing and ask them how they feel about that. Ideally, you should discuss their potential hearing loss in a quiet place at a time when you can talk to them one-to-one because hearing loss can be a sensitive issue for people to come to terms with. This will help to keep things as casual as possible while making it clear that you’re worried about them and you want them to get the help they need to improve their hearing situation.

Allay their fears

When it comes to hearing loss and taking a hearing test, a lot of people get scared. They don’t want to be told by an audiologist that they are losing their hearing, so they panic and try to convince themselves everything is fine. If you want to encourage your loved one to take a hearing test, you need to do what you can to calm their fears. one way to do this is by talking to them about the process. Find out, and then explain what the audiologist will do, how it will feel and what treatments can be offered. Knowledge is power and the more they know about the hearing aid process and how simple it is, the less fearful your loved one will feel.

Let them know it affects you too

Sometimes, letting your loved one know that their hearing impairment is influencing you and other friends and family can often be motivating for them. They know that their hearing issues are inconvenient, and potentially scary, for them, but if they know it’s having a similar effect on you, well that may give them that extra push to do something. Try to tell them this as kindly and non-confrontationally as possible and stick to the facts like how you must repeat yourself all the time, how you’re worried about their health, how you feel like your talks experience hardships due to their inability to hear and leave it at that.

Get them to try a hearing aid

Taking your loved one to a hearing aid demonstration or finding another way to let them try a hearing aid for themself could be a motivating way of getting them to take a hearing test because it will clearly show them how much better they could hear and how comfortable they could be if they would only see an audiologist. If you want to know more about the benefits of taking a hearing test or you’re keen to find out more about hearing aids for yourself or a loved one, get in touch with the expert audiologists at Quality Hearing Aid Center. Call us today at (248) 430-8791.