Some people go years from the time they recognize that they have a hearing problem to the time they inquire about a hearing aid.
"There is no good reason not to help yourself function more smoothly in the world," says Dr. Stephen Glasser, AuD, director of Long Island Audiology ( http://www.LongIslandAudiology.com). "Today's aids are basically undetectable, and more than half of hearing aid users are younger than 65."
Still, it usually takes the strong urging of a spouse, sibling, child or close friend, before an audiologist appointment is made.
Untreated hearing loss can strain every relationship.
"It can be very frustrating to talk to someone who can't hear well, especially when there is such amazing technology out there," according to Dr. Glasser.
To keep the lines of communication open until a hearing aid is prescribed, he offers these 7 tips for talking to the hard of hearing:
1. Face the hard of hearing person directly and on the same level. Try to stay within four feet of the person. Never talk from another room.
2. Be sure to get the person's attention before starting to speak.
3. Speak in a normal fashion without shouting.
4. If a person has difficulty understanding something, find a different way of saying the same thing, rather than repeating the original words over and over.
5. Recognize that hard of hearing people hear and understand less well when they are tired or ill.
6. Keep your hands away from your face while speaking. If you are eating, chewing, smoking, etc. while talking, your speech will be more difficult to understand.
7. Reduce background noise, such as TV or radio. See that a light is not shining in the eyes of the hard of hearing person.
