Helping a Family Member

October 19th, 2009 by Staff Leave a reply »

Source: Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (2007-2009)

http://starkey.com/your-hearing/helping-a-family-member/common-signs.jsp

What Can You Do If Someone You Care About Has
Difficulty Hearing?

If someone you know suffers from hearing loss, you already know it’s a challenging time for everyone close to that person including family, friends, colleagues and coworkers.

Sometimes, the change can be so gradual or subtle that you’re not sure whether it’s actually a hearing loss. Unlike many conditions, hearing loss is often hard to detect in its early stages.

Common Signs of Hearing Loss

Some of the most common indicators of hearing loss include:

  • turning up the volume of the TV or radio
  • problems hearing the doorbell or the telephone ringing
  • difficulty hearing people calling and talking from behind or in another room
  • asking people to repeat themselves or saying “what?” frequently
  • misunderstanding or “forgetting” what has been said or agreed upon
  • often cupping hands behind the ears

How You Can Help

If you believe a family member, friend or colleague is suffering from undiagnosed hearing loss, encourage him or her to contact an audiologist and request a test to check for a hearing problem.

In most cases, the hearing test will detect a hearing loss if one is present, as well as determine the type of loss. Based on the hearing test, the hearing professional can recommend the use of a hearing device or other treatment.

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