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Tips for Better Communication (header)
Your hearing professional will recommend an
appropriate schedule to help you adapt to your
new hearing aid. It will take practice, time and
patience for your brain to adapt to the new
sounds that your hearing aid provides. Hearing is
only part of how we share thoughts, ideas and
feelings. Reading lips, facial expressions and
gestures can help the learning process and add
to what amplification alone may miss.
Please review the following simple
communication tips:
For You
•
Move closer to and look at the speaker.
•
Sit face-to-face in a quiet room.
•
Try different locations to find the best
place to listen.
•
Minimize distractions.
•
Background noises may be frustrating at
first; remember, you have not heard
them for a while.
•
Let others know what you need; keep in
mind that people cannot "see" your
hearing loss.
•
Develop realistic expectations of what
your hearing aids can and cannot do.
•
Better hearing with hearing aids is a
learned skill combining desire, practice and
patience.
For Your Family and Friends
Your family and friends are also affected by your
hearing loss. Request that they:
•
Get your full attention before beginning to
speak.
•
Look at you or sit face-to-face in a quiet
room.
•
Speak clearly and at a normal rate and
level; shouting can actually make
understanding more difficult.
•
Rephrase rather than repeat the same
words; different words may be easier to
understand.
•
Minimize distractions while speaking.
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