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Family Dynamics
Hearing Loss Is a Family Affair
When you have hearing loss, your family feels the consequences, too.
Posted February 12, 2024 Reviewed by Davia Sills
Key points
- When someone in the family has hearing loss, the whole family is impacted.
- Being open about hearing loss helps build understanding and trust.
- Working together helps enhance communication for all sides of the conversation.
- The more one's family understands, the easier it is for them to assist.
When someone in the family has hearing loss, the whole family is impacted. Getting everyone on the same page can help enhance communication and make hearing loss less frustrating for both sides of the conversation. As the person with hearing loss, you must take the lead. The more your family can understand about your hearing loss experiences, the better equipped they will be to assist.
Here's how to get started.
Talk to them about your hearing loss.
While your immediate family is usually the first to know, extended family may not be aware that you have trouble hearing. Being upfront and open about your struggles allows others to provide the help you need and will help explain any mishearings or non-sequiturs that occur. Honesty and acceptance are key aspects of any healthy relationship.
Explain what hearing loss is like.
Hearing loss is difficult to understand if you have not experienced it, so you may need to explain what yours is like several times and in a variety of settings to give them a full picture. Suggest your family wear earplugs at the next family dinner or on their commute to school or the office to experience difficulty hearing. This won’t be fully accurate since earplugs don’t mimic the distortion that comes with hearing loss, but it will give them an idea of what it is like.
Bring them to an audiologist appointment.
Learning about your hearing loss from an expert may help them to understand the seriousness of the challenges you face. Your family can also help your audiologist get a better sense of which communication situations are most challenging for you, which will aid in your treatment.
Share your emotions about your hearing loss.
While it is tempting to keep a stiff upper lip, the more you share the frustrations and sadness that surrounds your hearing loss, the closer your relationships with your family will be. Vulnerability is a path to true partnership.
Combat stigma.
If you are comfortable with your hearing issues, others will be, too. Make your hearing loss a normal part of the family dynamic, just like a food allergy or other medical condition. Treating your hearing loss like an unmentionable topic prevents the family from assisting.
Teach the family communication best practices.
Small things like getting a person’s attention before speaking, keeping the mouth uncovered, and always facing the person with hearing loss when speaking can go a long way towards improving communication. Family members must be educated about what they need to do to help you hear your best. Be as specific as possible so they don’t resort to yelling or leaning into your ear to talk. Neither are helpful.
Create a visual signal for when you didn’t hear something.
Visual signals can be just as effective as asking “What?” and won’t interrupt the flow of the conversation. They can also limit the frustration that comes from repeatedly asking your family to speak so you can hear them.
Experiment with new technologies.
Ask your family to help you test new assistive listening devices to see if they make conversation easier when out to dinner or in other settings. This can be a fun adventure, especially with people who enjoy technology.
Life with hearing loss is better when shared with supportive friends and family around you. Choosing to be open about your hearing loss makes communication easier for both sides, building trust and support for everyone in the family.
Copyright: Living With Hearing Loss/Shari Eberts. Reprinted with permission.
