Hearing Aid - Talking to a Loved One About Constant Repetition

It is sometimes a touchy subject to bring up the need for a hearing aid to someone you care about. You don't want him or her to be offended but you really want to bring attention to something that is going on. If you have found yourself repeating the same things over and over again, it may be time to have a conversation about it. Here are a few ways to go about it.

Direct Conversation

One way to talk about hearing aids with a loved one is bringing up the issue of what he or she can hear directly. It is usually best to have this conversation in private and a person tends to get embarrassed when someone points out a flaw. He or she may already feel self-conscious about the inability to hear. While you have the best intentions, you want to keep this between the two of you.

Be prepared for this to be awkward. It could cause a problem between the two of you, especially if he or she denies the problem. Have this conversation as gently as possible and be prepared for whatever comes from it. This is the type of talk that you want to have with someone you are very close to. Not everyone can handle this type of confrontation about the use of a hearing aid.

Making a Suggestion

The discussion of a hearing aid does not need to be direct and obvious. There are ways around it. Consider talking about the loss of being able to hear in general terms. Mention that you are going in for a test with an audiologist. You can point out the benefits of testing and talk about how you do not want to be missing anything that is going on around you. Even if you know that you can hear, you can still take the test and encourage you loved one to come along.

Sometimes people avoid a hearing aid because of the preconceived ideas that surrounding it. Most people assume that not being able to hear clearly is an issue of age. The think only older people can benefit from something to amplify that sound. This is not the case and you have the opportunity to try and change someone's view on the issue.

Refusing to Repeat

A harder stance on the issue is refusing to repeat yourself over and over again. Be prepared for this to be a difficult route to take. If you refuse to say things over and over again, you can be sure that he or she is going to be missing out on conversation. Instead of you confronting the problem, this may lead your loved one to come to you and mention the fact that the loss of what he or she can hear is becoming a problem. It may indirectly take any pressure away from you.