{"id":534,"date":"2020-10-05T00:26:09","date_gmt":"2020-10-04T15:26:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss-affects-the-whole-family\/"},"modified":"2020-12-01T08:52:31","modified_gmt":"2020-11-30T23:52:31","slug":"hearing-loss-affects-the-whole-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/hearing-loss-affects-the-whole-family\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearing Loss Affects The Whole Family"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hearing loss doesn\u2019t just affect the person experiencing the loss; the disability can seriously impact others around that person including family, friends, and coworkers. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hearing loss affects one\u2019s safety and communication with others, leading to arguments, disagreements, and misunderstandings. A recent <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/235893916_Why_do_people_fitted_with_hearing_aids_not_wear_them\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Why Do People Fitted With Hearing Aids Not Wear Them?\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0found that of adults between the ages of 55 and 74 who have hearing loss to a degree that a hearing aid would benefit them, only 20 percent actually use one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>While deciding to use a hearing aid is a personal decision, the\u00a0consequences are anything but limited to the individual in question.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#Communication_Becomes_Difficult\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">1<\/span> Communication Becomes Difficult\n<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Safety_Concerns\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">2<\/span> Safety Concerns\n<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#The_Burden_of_Hearing_Loss\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">3<\/span> The Burden of Hearing Loss\n<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Agreeing_On_Treatment_Options\"><span class=\"toc_number toc_depth_1\">4<\/span> Agreeing On Treatment Options\n<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<h2><span id=\"Communication_Becomes_Difficult\"><b>Communication Becomes Difficult<\/p>\n<p><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While by\u00a0far the most obvious, difficulty in communication\u00a0can often become the<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0biggest source of strife in relationships where one person experiences hearing loss. The person who has difficulty hearing becomes frustrated because they can\u2019t understand their partner, and the other person may become exasperated from repeating themselves over and over and having to talk loudly. Misunderstandings arise and frustration can boil over to a breaking point.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, we live in an age where email and texting are easily accessible and can aid communication with someone who is hard of hearing. However, some family members, especially older individuals, may not like this option because they prefer face-to-face communication. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During in-person conversations, however, a family member who has difficulty hearing may miss entire conversations, even if they\u2019re sitting at the same table as their family members. If they attend an event such as a concert, loud restaurant, or party, a hard of hearing family member may be unable to understand or converse with anyone. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often, family members that are hard of hearing miss so much of a conversation that they give up trying to keep up; this can ultimately lead to feelings of isolation, loneliness, and sometimes depression.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Catering to the needs of someone who is experiencing hearing loss can be stressful and difficult for family members, and\u00a0even downright frustrating if\u00a0the person in question refuses to seek treatment for their hearing loss.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Safety_Concerns\"><b>Safety Concerns<\/p>\n<p><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">None of the concerns involved with someone experiencing hearing loss is as pressing as their safety. People with normal hearing take for granted driving, walking, talking on the phone, and other everyday activities; however, for someone that is hard of hearing, these activities\u00a0can be dangerous. They may have trouble hearing car horns, traffic, police, fire, or ambulance sirens, or someone approaching them from behind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The uncertainty of how safe a person with hearing loss is can be a major source of stress for family members. Family members could become paranoid and overprotective of the person with hearing loss, especially when that person doesn\u2019t hear the phone ringing and misses calls from family members checking in, increasing stress levels all around.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"The_Burden_of_Hearing_Loss\"><b>The Burden of Hearing Loss<\/p>\n<p><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The difficulty of communicating with a loved one who is experiencing hearing loss and the concern for their safety can have serious repercussions within a family. Some of the ways these repercussions can be manifested include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A negative change in the quality of conversations prior to the hearing loss<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More frequent arguments due to miscommunication or exhaustion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A reduction in the ability to enjoy a certain lifestyle prior to the hearing loss<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Financial strain on the family, especially if the person with hearing loss can no longer work<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A growing resentment\u00a0between family members<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loneliness, depression, and even dementia may occur long-term<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hearing impaired person may\u00a0socially withdraw\u00a0and drag their spouse with them<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Marriages especially can be put under enormous strain, especially as the partner with normal hearing often becomes the caretaker of the partner that is hearing impaired. Conversation, particularly intimate and humorous conversation, may cease. Attending social gatherings will become less and less frequent as the hard of hearing partner can no longer take joy in them. At home, fights may often occur, such as over the volume of the TV.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For adults who experience <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/leader.pubs.asha.org\/doi\/full\/10.1044\/leader.FTR1.07052002.4\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hearing loss late in life<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, this change may be difficult to deal with. So much of our personality is centered around how we communicate with others: at work, at home, and in public we are always hearing things and responding. When a person can no longer hear, it can feel like they lose a large part of their personality, which may lead to depression and anxiety.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Agreeing_On_Treatment_Options\"><b>Agreeing On Treatment Options<\/p>\n<p><\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Friends and family around a person who is hard of hearing may recognize that the person needs help much sooner than that person themselves recognize it. While some quickly recognize themselves and accept their need for a hearing aid, often you might encounter resistance. Some\u00a0take a long time to accept their hearing loss and the fact they are now &#8220;old.&#8221; Sadly, others never accept it. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For those arguing with a family member or loved one\u00a0over a hearing aid, there are several talking points\u00a0one can use to try to convince a person who is hard of hearing to get the help they need to improve their lives and the lives of everyone around them:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provide research to show that hearing aids have many benefits, including a reduction in the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, stronger relationships, and higher earning potential.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Show them that today\u2019s hearing aids are not like grandpa\u2019s: they look much cooler, they\u2019re smaller and streamline, and include cool features such as Bluetooth technology for streaming audio and connecting to a smartphone, fitness tracking, and even remote adjusting of the hearing aid.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Help them see that while hearing aids are expensive, the potentially life-saving devices are more reasonably priced if you look at it from the perspective of cost per day of use. Simply divide the total cost of a pair of hearing aids by the number of days the hearing aid will be worn (they typically last five to seven years). They\u2019re actually much cheaper than owning a car!<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The person experiencing the hearing loss might not even realize the extent to which those around them have to adapt to include that person, such as shouting, repeating things, or having the TV volume unreasonably loud. Try explaining this to the person or keep a journal of how often this occurs to show them.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be supportive by offering to see an audiologist with your family member that is experiencing hearing loss. Bringing other family members along might be even better, to take some of the pressure off of the person going through the examination. Let them know that they can test out a hearing aid before deciding to commit wearing one.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><b>The information in this guide has been written using the following reliable sources:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/235893916_Why_do_people_fitted_with_hearing_aids_not_wear_them\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/235893916_Why_do_people_fitted_with_hearing_aids_not_wear_them<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/health\/conditions-treatments\/info-2019\/hearing-aid-reasons.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.aarp.org\/health\/conditions-treatments\/info-2019\/hearing-aid-reasons.html<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/leader.pubs.asha.org\/doi\/full\/10.1044\/leader.FTR1.07052002.4\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/leader.pubs.asha.org\/doi\/full\/10.1044\/leader.FTR1.07052002.4<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/soundrelief.com\/impact-of-hearing-loss-and-tinnitus-on-relationships\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/soundrelief.com\/impact-of-hearing-loss-and-tinnitus-on-relationships\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/idainstitute.com\/fileadmin\/user_upload\/documents\/In%20It%20Together%20-%20Impact%20on%20Personal%20Relationships.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/idainstitute.com\/fileadmin\/user_upload\/documents\/In%20It%20Together%20-%20Impact%20on%20Personal%20Relationships.pdf<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthyhearing.com\/report\/52650-Hearing-loss-affects-the-entire-family\">https:\/\/www.healthyhearing.com\/report\/52650-Hearing-loss-affects-the-entire-family<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hearing loss affects the whole family as the person losing their hearing becomes unable to express feelings and thoughts the way they used to. Seeking hearing assistance can save relationships.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":731,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6,3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v15.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.oliveunion.com\/ustest\/hearing-loss\/hearing-loss-affects-the-whole-family\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hearing Loss Affects The Whole Family - Olive Union\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Hearing loss affects the whole family as the person losing their hearing becomes unable to express feelings and thoughts the way they used to. 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