How to Tell Your Loved One They Need Hearing Aids

Many people with hearing loss know that there seems to be a stigma associated with those that wear hearing aids. But this is faulty thinking.

Those with impaired vision wouldn’t consider leaving the house without their prescription glasses. However, people with impaired hearing are less likely to wear hearing aids out. About 80% of those between 55 and 74 who would be aided by a hearing aid don’t wear one.

25% of American adults over 65 and have disabling hearing loss. So when you have a family member with hearing loss, you know how challenging that can be for everybody. Sometimes the solution can be as simple as scheduling a hearing test with your doctor or an audiologist.

Those with deficient hearing often ignore the fact that it’s declining. Others won’t wear hearing aids simply for vanity’s sake: It’s a sign they’re getting older. The price may be a barrier as well.

What Can a Family Member Do?

It can be challenging for family members who may need hearing aids to start the conversation. Hearing tests with an audiologist is an excellent place to start for those in denial. However, audiologist visits are often required to program the devices correctly, requiring repeat visits before the patients feel comfortable.

However difficult it may be to persuade recalcitrant partners, parents, or friends to seek help, they will benefit significantly if you convince them. Choose a time when neither of you feels rushed and schedule a time to talk.

Take out the emotion from your conversation and replace it with research, and try to find out why your loved one is hesitant to ask for help. Keep the tone calm and non-confrontational.

Why Are Hearing Aids Important?

Several studies support the effectiveness of wearing hearing aids, including a decreased chance of dementia or Alzheimer’s, stronger relationships, and more considerable earnings.

It may help to try some hearing aids first. Most offices offer 30- or 60-day trial periods, and many doctors are willing to assist in making sure the devices are beneficial before you pay.
It may also be a good idea to talk about some of the fantastic benefits contained in today’s hearing aids.

A modern hearing aid can connect wirelessly to your devices, allowing you to listen to sounds directly. A few hearing aids can even give you a snapshot of your health, including the number of steps taken and a heartbeat rate.

You can also translate foreign languages with an app for your hearing aids. Your doctor can now control your hearing aid’s settings at home without having to visit their office: With high-tech house calls, you don’t have to see them personally!

With hearing aids with sensors, your hearing aid can determine if you’ve fallen and summon help after a rough tumble. And they’re small: Gone are the bulky, conspicuous in-ear devices of decades past, swapped with lustrous, sophisticated earwear that’s entirely wearable.

The Expense

Hearing aids can be expensive. The average price per unit is around $2,300 (that’s just for a single device; if you require two, you’ll have to pay twice that), and Medicare won’t cover the cost.

An average hearing aid lasts between five and eight years. However, considering the cost per wear (which comes out to price divided by how often you wear the hearing aid), it may seem more affordable. A good number of manufacturers will also offer payment plans to help users pay for the device.

Our office will work within your budget to get you the best hearing aids for your needs. Never avoid getting help for you or your loved ones hearing loss because you fear the expense.

The Impact of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss affects more than just the person with it. It impacts the entire family since everyone is trying to adjust. Many people don’t even realize that they have a severe hearing problem until too late.

Keeping track of how many times a day you ask someone if they can repeat something for your loved one might help them understand the extent of their hearing problem if they are in denial. Let them know that they don’t have to be embarrassed, isolated, or at risk for depression anymore.

Humans are disposed to repaying favors–a theory psychologists call reciprocity. If you ask someone for an audiologist visit, you might suggest that you will schedule a colonoscopy you’ve been putting off.

And what if your hard-of-hearing loved one is still hesitant to take action? Give them some time. Ultimately, they will need to derive the recognition on their own.

If you or a loved one believe you have hearing loss, it is imperative that you at least make an appointment with an audiologist immediately. Simply scheduling a quick, 20-minute hearing exam at Hearing Associates of Las Vegas could be the difference from improving your hearing to almost-normal levels to having its decline at a more rapid pace.