10 Tips for Seniors Experiencing Hearing Loss
As we age it is common to experience loss of hearing. In fact, millions of Americans experience some degree of hearing loss at throughout their lives. Common signs of hearing loss in older adults often include talking louder/softer, turning up the volume on devices, asking others to repeat themselves, and just not responding when spoken to.
Hearing disorders can be diagnosed by ENTs or audiologists through common hearing tests such as the Pure Tone Audiometric Test and Speech Discrimination Test.
Here are 10 tips for Seniors Experiencing Hearing Loss:
- Visit an audiologist: Schedule regular visits to an audiologist for hearing tests and adviceon managing your hearing loss
- Use Hearing Aids: if recommended by your audiologist, use hearing aids to improve your hearing and communication abiliities.
- Reduce Background Noise: Try to minimize background noise when having conversations, as it can make it harder to hear
- Face the Speaker: When talking to someone, make sure to face them directly so you can see their lips and facial expressions to help understand conversations
- Use Visual Cues: Use visual cues such as gestures and facial expressions to help understand conversations.
- Ask for Written Information: When attending events or appointments, ask for written information in addition to verbal instructions
- Use Assistive Devices: Consider using assistive listening devices, such as personal amplifiers or captioned telephones to help with hearing in specific situations.
- Stay Socially Active: Stay engaged with friends and family to avoid isolation.
- Stay Informed: Educate yourself about hearing loss and avaiilabile treatments so you can make informed decisions about your hearing health.
Right at Home's caregivers receive special training and are well prepared to assist our clients with complications related to age-related hearing loss. We are proud to call the team at our local Hearing, Speech, & Deaf Center (HSDC) friends and long-time neighbors in the Crown Plaza Building at 114 W Magnolia St in Bellingham. HSDC is a nonprofit that offers services for people who are deaf and hard of hearing that include audiology, hearing aids, interpretation, and education. Their goal is to foster accessible communities through communication, advocacy, and education.
Learn more about our friends at the Puget Sound's Hearing, Speech, & Deaf Center at: www.hsdc.org
