You just purchased your first hearing aid. You may have concerns about your new device.
Will you become comfortable wearing a hearing aid? Will people respond differently to you? Will the hearing aid impact your active lifestyle?
Being a worry-free hearing aid owner isn’t complicated. You simply need to learn a few secrets from satisfied hearing aid wearers.
Stay connected with family and friends
Individuals with untreated hearing loss are 30% more likely to become socially isolated. They eventually stop going to places and doing things they enjoy. It ultimately becomes easier to be alone.
Hearing aid wearers, however, are no more likely than those with healthy hearing to become isolated. You can wear your hearing aid and still stay active with the people you love. You will also be able to keep doing the things you enjoy doing.
Visit your hearing specialist
Regular checkups with your primary doctor are important for your overall health. Regular dental cleanings are also important if you want to keep your teeth. Seeing your hearing specialist regularly will help you maintain your hearing health and allow you to live a more active and happy life.
Many people are apprehensive about visiting a hearing specialist, however, and will delay it as long as possible. These delays will lead to further hearing problems and a diminished listening experience. To avoid them, try to associate visits to your hearing specialist with something positive.
Make a day of it. Plan a shopping trip after your appointment. Buy something nice for yourself. Invite a friend along. Go out for lunch afterward. You should also be sure to attend any follow-up appointments with your hearing specialist.
How to handle social situations
Communication is key in life. A worry-free hearing aid experience is no exception. Ask questions when planning a night out with friends. Some locations are more conducive to listening than others.
Some auditoriums have hearing loop systems, which allow you to wirelessly connect certain hearing aids and bring the performance directly to your ears. If you have trouble hearing at seminars, it’s okay to ask in advance if you can put your hearing aid-connected smartphone on the podium.
If your son asks where you’d like to eat, suggest a place where it’s easier to hear conversations. Choose a place without loud music. Instead, pick a restaurant with soft surfaces that dampen background noise.
If background music or a TV in your daughter’s home makes it difficult for you to hear a conversation, ask her to turn it off.
These simple steps will help diffuse your frustration and that of others.
Be patient with yourself and others
If you want friends and family members to be more patient, start by being patient with yourself. It takes time to improve your listening experience after obtaining a new hearing device. Allow yourself some time with a trusted friend to get used to your hearing aid.
There’s no need to get agitated when:
- You have to ask others to repeat themselves.
- Someone tells you it wasn’t important.
- A family member says he or she will tell you later.
- Friends seem to exclude you from the conversation.
- Someone speaks loudly because he or she thinks volume is the problem.
It may be difficult for others to know how to act around someone with hearing loss. If you waited until your hearing loss was debilitating to get a hearing aid, these learned behaviors will take time to diminish. Show some compassion, and you’ll find things will get better much quicker.
Set new goals
Your hearing aid represents a new beginning with restored hearing. Make the most of it. Learn new things. Go outside more often. Set goals. Do something you’ve never done before.
Keeping your brain active by setting goals and learning new things not only improves your listening experience but also keeps your mind sharp as you age.
Establish a support system
When it comes to hearing loss, a support system is important, but it doesn’t necessarily have to include family and friends. It may simply include individuals who understand what you’re going through because they also suffer from hearing loss.
A support system isn’t a group of people who constantly complain about how bad hearing loss is. Interacting with individuals who do this will inevitably leave you feeling sad or angry.
Seek out people with a positive outlook. Find those who encourage you to wear your hearing aid and stay active. It’s okay if they talk about the challenges of hearing loss, as long as they’re working constructively to overcome them.
