As people age, everyone starts to see signs of their bodies slowing down. Sometimes things don't work as well as they used to. When you notice your husband being less attentive than usual and turning the television up louder and louder, you might question how well he hears. Even when he says he can hear just fine, you probably strongly suspect you are dealing with a husband hard of hearing.
He may not want to admit it, and getting him to see an audiologist might be a real struggle, but you must do whatever necessary to convince to get his hearing tested. You might need to set up the appointment, drive him to it, and keep him company in the waiting room. If you're right and he has a problem, you both have to decide what to do next.
After the examination the audiologist will meet with the two of you to explain exactly what he found, how profound the loss is, and how much, if any, it will deteriorate in the future. The doctor might suggest hearing aids or surgical implants. The good news is that your spouse has time to think about it. This isn't life threatening.
Now that you know exactly what the problem is, there are ways you can help your spouse. When talking to him, face him and look him in the eye. If he is standing with his back to you, you can reach out and touch his back or shoulder to let him know you're behind him. Background noises interfere with conversation. Instead of trying to talk over the television, turn it off or down. Yelling is counterproductive. Exaggerated enunciation is insulting.
When you're in public places where you can't avoid background noise, it's okay to point or gesture in some way to make yourself understood. Don't cover your mouth, smoke, or chew when you are talking. Communication can be frustrating, especially in the beginning, but you have to be patient. It's not his fault he can't hear. If both of you can find ways to laugh about it, so much the better.
There are things your husband can do to help himself and help you. He can let you know when you are doing something in a certain way that makes it hard for him to understand what you're saying. If he knows he's going into a noisy situation, he should plan in advance and decide how to handle it. He is, finally, going to have to pay attention. If this was not his strong suit in the past, now is the time to learn.
You shouldn't wait for an emergency to happen to make a plan. You and your partner can go shopping for special devices that will flash or vibrate to alert him to an unusual situation. You can choose from auditory, visual, and tactile devices.
If you have a spouse who is going through a hearing loss, one of the best things you can do is accept whatever stage of acceptance he is in. This is a personal struggle, but one he doesn't have to face alone. That's what partnership in marriage is all about.
He may not want to admit it, and getting him to see an audiologist might be a real struggle, but you must do whatever necessary to convince to get his hearing tested. You might need to set up the appointment, drive him to it, and keep him company in the waiting room. If you're right and he has a problem, you both have to decide what to do next.
After the examination the audiologist will meet with the two of you to explain exactly what he found, how profound the loss is, and how much, if any, it will deteriorate in the future. The doctor might suggest hearing aids or surgical implants. The good news is that your spouse has time to think about it. This isn't life threatening.
Now that you know exactly what the problem is, there are ways you can help your spouse. When talking to him, face him and look him in the eye. If he is standing with his back to you, you can reach out and touch his back or shoulder to let him know you're behind him. Background noises interfere with conversation. Instead of trying to talk over the television, turn it off or down. Yelling is counterproductive. Exaggerated enunciation is insulting.
When you're in public places where you can't avoid background noise, it's okay to point or gesture in some way to make yourself understood. Don't cover your mouth, smoke, or chew when you are talking. Communication can be frustrating, especially in the beginning, but you have to be patient. It's not his fault he can't hear. If both of you can find ways to laugh about it, so much the better.
There are things your husband can do to help himself and help you. He can let you know when you are doing something in a certain way that makes it hard for him to understand what you're saying. If he knows he's going into a noisy situation, he should plan in advance and decide how to handle it. He is, finally, going to have to pay attention. If this was not his strong suit in the past, now is the time to learn.
You shouldn't wait for an emergency to happen to make a plan. You and your partner can go shopping for special devices that will flash or vibrate to alert him to an unusual situation. You can choose from auditory, visual, and tactile devices.
If you have a spouse who is going through a hearing loss, one of the best things you can do is accept whatever stage of acceptance he is in. This is a personal struggle, but one he doesn't have to face alone. That's what partnership in marriage is all about.
About the Author:
When you are searching for information about a husband hard of hearing, come to our web pages online today. More details are available at http://www.thehealthjournals.com/husband-hard-hearing now.
No comments:
Post a Comment