Do’s & Don’ts for Accommodating People with Hearing Loss

Everyone struggling with hearing loss wants support from their family and friends. For those with hearing loss it can be challenging to hear at the best of times, and in some situations hearing can seem impossible. Because hearing loss is an invisible disability, and you can’t tell someone has hearing loss just by looking at them, learning how to accommodate people with hearing loss is especially important.

Communicating with People Who Have Hearing Loss

Even when you know your loved one has hearing loss, it can be difficult to remember that they need a bit of help hearing. You may feel impatient when they ask you to repeat yourself, or when they can’t follow the conversation. Rather than getting frustrated, learn these do’s and don’t for accommodating people with hearing loss. Do Get Their Attention: Make sure you get your friend’s attention before you start speaking. If they didn’t hear the first half of what you said, they’ll have an even harder time understanding you. Don’t clap your hands or shout, but speak their name, gently tap them on the shoulder, or wave. Do Face Them: When speaking with your loved one with hearing loss, always face them. Don’t speak to them with your back turned, or from across the room. Make eye contact, and make sure your face is visible so they can use body language and facial cues to pick up the context of what you’re saying. Don’t Shout: When accommodating someone with hearing loss, you might be tempted to speak very loudly, but shouting actually distorts the sounds, and makes it harder to hear you. Don’t shout, but do speak clearly, and leave pauses between thoughts to give the person with hearing loss a bit of extra time to process what you’ve said. Don’t Repeat: People with hearing loss wish you’d stop repeating the same word over and over again. Rather than repeating a word or phrase, help your friend hear by rephrasing what’s been said. They’ll have a better chance of understanding the sentence if you avoid using the same words or sounds they had a hard time hearing. Don’t Brush Them Off: If you’ve said something your friend can’t understand, don’t say “never mind” or “it’s not important anyway”. Your friend wants to be included in the conversation and feel that you value their opinion. Don’t brush them off, rephrase what you said, and always ask them if they’ve understood. Do Use Written Communication: Want to remind a friend about what time you’re meeting? Send a text or email, and use written communication to make sure you’re both on the same page. A phone call might not be the best since miscommunication is common around dates or times, so always write it down to avoid a misunderstanding. Don’t Speak for Them: Your loved one with hearing loss struggles to hear, not to speak. If they haven’t heard the waiter’s question, or misheard what a friend across the table said, don’t speak for them. Repeat or rephrase the question, and let them speak for themselves. Don’t Become Their Ears: You want to help your friend hear, but if you repeat what everyone is saying, you’re not actually helping your friend. Treating their hearing loss will help them hear in group settings, and enable them to participate in conversations. Rather than repeating everything that’s been said, encourage them to take a hearing test, and treat their hearing loss. Do Go with Them to the Hearing Test: If your loved one is nervous about their hearing test, offer to go with them. After all, 4 ears are better than 2, and you’ll be able to take notes for them, help them remember everything the hearing health specialist has said, and give a second opinion on what kind of hearing aid they should choose. Do Talk About Modern Hearing Aids: Encourage your loved one to treat their hearing loss, and talk about modern hearing aids. These sophisticated devices will help them hear when they need it the most, and in places with a lot of background noise a hearing aid can make hearing easy. With hearing aids they’ll be able to follow conversations, improve relationships, and enjoy a social life, so encourage them to treat their hearing loss.