Getting older isn't easy. Many seniors start to see signs that their bodies are beginning to wear out. If you have been married for a long time, you know when your spouse is changing. You might notice your husband is turning the television up louder than usual or missing half of what you say. Even though he denies it, you suspect you have a husband hard of hearing.
A lot of men hate admitting anything might be wrong with them, so getting your spouse to the audiologist may be a challenge. If you have to call and set the appointment up yourself and walk him into the office, you need to do it. Once the audiologist has confirmed your suspicions, the next thing to do is tackle the problem head on.
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.
Going to public places, like restaurants or the mall, can be difficult because you can't adjust the background noise. In this case, pointing and gesturing are acceptable ways to get his attention. Don't chew, smoke, or cover your mouth when you're talking to your spouse. Remembering all this can be annoying, but you have to have patience. He didn't choose this loss. Finding ways to share a laugh about it, will help.
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.
It is especially important to plan for emergencies when you are living with someone with this kind of loss. You can find special devices that address this issue. They can be tactile, visual, or auditory. Some will flash and others vibrate.
Having trouble hearing what is going on around you is no fun. You might not be able to understand exactly what it's like, but you can be sympathetic and encouraging. He would do the same for you if the situation were reversed.
A lot of men hate admitting anything might be wrong with them, so getting your spouse to the audiologist may be a challenge. If you have to call and set the appointment up yourself and walk him into the office, you need to do it. Once the audiologist has confirmed your suspicions, the next thing to do is tackle the problem head on.
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.
Going to public places, like restaurants or the mall, can be difficult because you can't adjust the background noise. In this case, pointing and gesturing are acceptable ways to get his attention. Don't chew, smoke, or cover your mouth when you're talking to your spouse. Remembering all this can be annoying, but you have to have patience. He didn't choose this loss. Finding ways to share a laugh about it, will help.
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.
It is especially important to plan for emergencies when you are living with someone with this kind of loss. You can find special devices that address this issue. They can be tactile, visual, or auditory. Some will flash and others vibrate.
Having trouble hearing what is going on around you is no fun. You might not be able to understand exactly what it's like, but you can be sympathetic and encouraging. He would do the same for you if the situation were reversed.
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