Communicating with the hearing impaired - Hints and tips

Communication tips

You can have an impact on improving your loved ones quality of life giving them the ability to interact with the world around them, enjoy life and get back to socialising with friends and family.

Blowing candles during a family birthday party

The best way to help your loved one to be able to communicate better is to help them understand more about their hearing and how the solutions available can have a life changing effect on their quality of life. You can show them that they are never far away from expert help and advice which gives them their hearing back.

Arrange a free hearing test Book Now

Communicating with the Hard of Hearing

Until you can get your loved one to get the help they need you can use these tips

Speak naturally and at an even speed. Shouting distorts your voice and makes it more difficult to understand.
Be guided by the rate of their speech. Copy them as this is what they are used to.
Face the person you are talking to. They need to see your face and the words you speak. Body language is more than 50% of communication.
Most people who have difficulties hearing lip read, whether they know it or not! Do not cover your mouth
If you need to repeat yourself, use the same words as you originally said. If you need to repeat yourself again change the words.

Today’s hearing solutions combine the latest intelligent hearing technology which is accommodated in small, sleek designs giving maximum comfort and a high performance listening experience therefore impacting positively on their quality of life.

Hearing aid solutions enable you and your loved one to re-connect with the world around them. With the availability of different sized hearing aids that seamlessly integrate into your life, your loved one can see which type of aid will fit their lifestyle, needs and budget. You can expect your loved one to gain increased confidence in understanding the world around them through a hearing solution personalised for them. Depending on the environments that they find most challenging, we offer a wide selection of hearing aids that are smart enough to automatically change their settings to respond to any change in listening conditions. These settings are customised by our local Amplifon Audiologist and monitored through our Lifetime Aftercare service to ensure that they achieve an optimum listening experience.

Signs of Hearing Loss

We’ve detailed below some of the first signs of hearing loss that you could use as a checklist if you think your loved one is experiencing difficulties with their hearing.

Asking to repeat what’s been said
Noticing that the TV/Radio/listening to music, the volume is louder than normal
Interaction is minimal in a group environment due not being able to hear people talking against background noise
Missing bits of the conversation
Not hearing on the telephone
Asking people to speak louder
Not hearing the sound of the doorbell and telephone ringing
Unsure which direction a sound is coming from
Feeling tired or stressed due to the concentration levels required to listen to a conversation
Complaining that people are mumbling
Finding some voices easier to hear than others e.g. difficulty hearing children’s or women’s voices
Asking others details about a meeting or presentation you attended
Not hearing when you cannot see the face of the person you are talking to. (lip reading)