How to Recognize a Hearing Loss

Hearing loss can occur at any age. It occurs more frequently in older persons. In fact, it is normal for the older person to lose hearing. When it occurs, it doesn't affect just the person with the loss. It affects the whole family. And it is important that the family be able to recognize what is happening and take action to help the situation.

Hearing loss is not as easy to identify as it might seem. Sometimes a hearing loss occurs slowly over time and the persons don't even notice they are experiencing a hearing loss. Also, adjustments are sometimes made to accomodate persons with hearing loss that causes them not to realize there is a problem, such as the people around them talking louder.

TURNING UP THE VOLUME ON RADIO AND TELEVISION
The person with a hearing loss may increase the loudness on radios and television sets. The person usually doesn't realize it is uncomfortably loud for others. If others complain, the person with the hearing loss may move closer to the source of the sound to hear it better.

ASKING PEOPLE TO REPEAT
Persons with hearing loss can often get enough cues to understand the message if it is repeated. They will often ask people to repeat more than once. They may think others are not talking clearly or loud enough. After a while they may stop asking people to repeat, because many people become aggravated at being asked to repeat. When that happens, the ability to communicate is greatly impaired.

CHANGING POSTURE AND FACIAL EXPRESSION WHEN LISTENING
Because persons with hearing loss have difficulty hearing, they often frown, lean forward, and turn their head to better hear a speaker. Over a period of time it becomes a habit which they themselves may not notice, but which is very noticeable to others.

DIFFICULTY HEARING PEOPLE IN GROUPS AND IN NOISY SETTINGS
Some persons with hearing loss get by fine in one-to-one communication settings. But they have difficult understanding when there is noise in the background, such as a social gathering, restaurant, at the mall, or in a busy store. Persons with this type of hearing loss may complain that there is too much noise, which might seem strange since they have a loss.

DIFFICULTY HEARING IN CHURCH AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES
Persons with hearing loss may complain that they can't hear the minister's sermon well enough. They have trouble hearing at the theater and other public gatherings where there are speakers. After a while, they may elect not to go to events that they used to enjoy because of the difficulty understanding.

DEPENDENCY
Persons with hearing loss may come to accept the fact that they have difficulty communicating and rely on others to help them. For the older person, this is usually the spouse or a child. They have the person on whom they depend go with them anytime they know they are going to have to communicate, such as a doctor's or lawyer's office, to make sure they understand what is being said. They may constantly turn to this person and have them tell them what was said. This person is a "hearing aide" in the true sense.

WITHDRAWAL AND ISOLATION
One of the saddest aspects of hearing loss that goes untreated is the fact that it affects the personality. People who are having difficulty hearing often avoid situations in which they know they will have a difficult time. Most persons with hearing loss have been embarrased at some time for thinking a person said one thing when actually they said another. Those kinds of mistakes can a person to lose confidence in themselves in social settings. Also, they become frustrated asking people to repeat. Persons with hearing loss may turn to solitary activities, such as gardening, walking, wood working, and prefer to watch television by themselves (so they can adjust the sound to their preferred level).

THINGS PEOPLE WITH HEARING LOSS SAY

"I could understand people if they would speak up."

"I could understand people if they would talk more clearly."

"I have trouble hearing in noisy places."

"I have trouble hearing my grandchildren."

"I can't hear people when they're whispering."

"I could understand if people would talk slower."

"Sometimes I think a person says one thing, when really they've said something else."

"Noise bothers me."