Hearing loss in older adults can make socializing and conversations difficult.
Noises in the background, people who talk too fast and mumblers—these factors and others make it difficult for someone with hearing loss to take part in group discussions, and may cause them to feel left out altogether. People without hearing loss need to recognize this challenge and remember to talk clearly, facing the individual.
To help navigate hearing loss in older adults, the tips below can help:
- Ensure you are well-rested before participating in an occasion where you will be listening to a lot of conversation.
- Turn away from noise or other background disturbances.
- Tell the people you’re with that you have hearing loss; that way they know to adjust their speech, face you when they’re talking, or make other accommodations to help keep you in the discussion.
- Use what you already know about the speaker to help provide clues on what is going on in the conversation, such as the individual’s interests or lifestyle.
- Sit or stand in such a way that you can see the faces of all those who are speaking.
- Stay informed about current events.
- Ask people to repeat themselves when necessary or repeat back the part of the message that you understood with a request for the speaker to repeat whatever part was unclear. (For example, “Where did you go?” “Who was it that called you last week?”)
It is beneficial to know that hearing aids today can usually compensate for the majority of hearing loss in older adults, and surgical procedures may be something for the person to consider. Check with the person’s health care provider to find out whether any of the latest solutions may help, and contact Compassionate Care Home Health Services for assistance as well. We offer skilled, experienced, in-home care for seniors with hearing loss as well as any other challenges of aging, enabling older adults to remain safe, independent and thriving at home with services such as:
- Personal care, including, as appropriate, help with hygiene and bathing, getting dressed, ambulation and transferring, etc.
- Friendly, nurturing companionship to participate in favorite interests and hobbies, conversations, exercising, etc.
- Accompanied transportation to health-related appointments and procedures, visits with family and friends, and fun excursions
- Errand-running to pick up food items, prescriptions, or any other required items
- Light housekeeping and meal preparation
- And much more
Call Compassionate Care Home Health Services at 877.308.1212 to schedule a complimentary in-home consultation with our elder care experts and take the first step in improving quality of life for someone you love in Saginaw, Traverse City, Alpena, or the surrounding areas.