What is Hearing Loss
Old age and hearing loss often go together. It is making life hard for our aging loved ones. It is a gradual decrease in the hearing capacity of an individual. It is one of the most common problems encountered by our elderly population. Hearing loss complicates life for our aging loved ones as it becomes difficult for them to communicate effectively with family and friends.
Furthermore, following what your doctor advises when you lose hearing is challenging. Also, when your loved ones are unable to hear correctly. They may miss the sound of doorbells and alarms and fail to respond to warning signs. These are the disastrous effects of hearing loss. Getting a proper diagnosis will help decrease the magnitude of the problem.
Hearing loss or not?
How to determine if your loved one is suffering from it. Here are some questions to help you analyze the hearing ability of your aging loved one. Furthermore, if you are new to caregiving, check out my books to help with the entire process.
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Have you noticed embarrassing behavior when they are about to meet friends or new people?
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Is your loved one have difficulty hearing when someone speaks softly?
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Does your loved one appear frustrated while communicating with you or another family member?
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Do you notice that their hearing problem leads to frequent arguments in the family?
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Is your loved one able to hear correctly while dining in a restaurant?
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Does your loved one constantly want to increase the volume of TV or radio?
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Is your loved one reluctant to visit their friends?
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Have your loved ones avoided attending parties or family get together?
If the answer is a “yes” to more than three questions, it is time you take your loved one to the doctor for a checkup.
Various types
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Sensorineural hearing loss
This is a permanent form of it, which usually occurs due to damage to the inner ear.
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Conductive hearing loss
This form in most cases, surgery can restore hearing. However, conductive hearing loss occurs when sound waves fail to reach the inner ear. The cause is a blockage in the pathway caused by the buildup of earwax or a punctured eardrum.
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Presbycusis
This usually affects people aged 50 years and above. This form cripples an individual’s ability to tolerate loud noises. With each passing year, as a result, our loved ones lose their hearing capacity.
Cause of hearing loss
It is not a natural phenomenon and occurs due to various reasons. The many reasons are as follows.
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Otosclerosis. It is a hereditary disorder. Causing progressive deafness due to the overgrowth of bone in the inner ear.
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Infections of the ear. Otitis media can cause significant hearing loss if not treated on time.
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A severe blow to the head can result from an accident or injury.
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Certain medications. Ototoxic drugs, in some cases, cause permanent damage to the inner ear.
What can you do to help your loved one with hearing loss? It is a severe problem and should never be ignored. Unfortunately, life becomes difficult for our aging loved ones. And a visit to the doctor to diagnose the hearing loss becomes mandatory. Next, a visit to the ENT or otolaryngologist is necessary. They specialize in treating ear, nose, and throat diseases. An otolaryngologist is better at analyzing the actual cause of hearing loss. The specialist may also recommend your loved one to another specialist, an audiologist. They will study the degree of hearing loss and recommend appropriate treatment options.
More tips to help your loved one with hearing loss
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Be a supportive listener
Hearing loss is not a pleasant experience. Our loved ones often get uncomfortable when they get into a group. They may end up talking too much to hide their hearing loss properly. In such a situation, it is better to allow your loved one to do the talking. And you, as the caregiver, should be a patient listener. -
Go with your loved one to the doctor.
Doing so makes it clear that you are there for your loved ones when they need your support. Furthermore, you can discuss every detail by accompanying them to the doctor. And also decide upon the best treatment for your loved one. -
Attend the hearing test appointment with the audiologist
Make sure that you attend almost all the meetings with the audiologist. Because you would get to learn more about hearing loss. And its negative impact on your loved one and members of the family. This experience will enable you to make better realistic decisions in the long run. -
Do not make the mistake of immediately purchasing hearing aids online.
Refrain from doing so; do not get tempted to get hearing aids when your parents complain of hearing loss. Understand that hearing aids are complex devices. And your audiologist is there to work on them. In addition, online hearing aids may not fit your loved ones’ demands. Therefore, it is best to consult the audiologist before purchasing devices for your loved ones. -
Do not get frustrated with your loved ones.
Frustration is certainly not the way to solve the problem. When our aging loved ones cannot hear, they often exhibit unnatural behavior, sometimes challenging to tackle. Furthermore, your loved one may have been living with untreated hearing loss for more than ten years. During this period, their brain receives reduced hearing stimulation. As a result, it would take a reasonable amount of time to adjust to hearing aids. Do not expect miracles to happen when your loved one uses hearing aids. With hearing aids, your loved one would need enough time to adjust to the device. Keeping patience during this time is essential. And do not get frustrated and shout at your loved one. This will only lead to misunderstandings and hard feelings.
Conclusion
The tips above will help you better care for your loved one with hearing loss. This will allow your loved ones to live a more productive and happy life. For more information, check out this site. Also, check out these other posts.
It can be challenging to attend to your loved one with thinning skin, but it’s not impossible. With the proper knowledge, you can do this. Remember to care for yourself and keep your business going while caregiving. I’m here to assist you on this journey. Schedule your planning session with me to see how to keep your life and business running smoothly. Finally, here is another article that will help with transfer aids.
