How to convince a loved one to get a hearing test
Asking for someone to constantly repeat themselves can get frustrating – not just for you, but for those with hearing loss as well. However, it’s typically hard for them to admit it to themselves, and even more challenging for you to bring it up.
If you know someone with hearing loss but are having trouble convincing them to even do something as simple as getting a hearing test, you’ve come to the right place.
It’s true, it can be difficult to bring the conversation up but in light of Hearing Awareness Week coming up, it may be a little easier. Every last week of August is dedicated to hearing education, making it the perfect excuse to start a casual conversation about a serious topic. Here are tips on how you can convince your loved one to take the first step and get a hearing test.
- Loosen them up
First, begin by starting a casual conversation about some of the facts you’ve been reading regarding Hearing Awareness Week. An easy way to broach the topic could be a discussion around the different causes of hearing loss. It could be about noise-induced hearing loss, or presbycusis, which is also called age-related hearing loss and is the natural progression of ageing that makes hearing challenging for people around the age of 55. Keep the conversation light hearted and casual.
- Make the suggestion
After you’ve got them talking about how easy and natural it is for changes in our hearing to occur at any stage in our lives, you can start to gently point out some of the similarities in symptoms they may have. Point out that you’ve noticed that you have to repeat yourself or try harder than before to get their attention. If you keep it light hearted enough, you might even be able to get them to come around to the realisation themselves. It’s important to note here that while you should be sympathetic, you should not be patronising. If you’re met with a good deal of resistance, don’t try to force it on them.
- Encourage them to take a hearing test
Just have them take a obligation-free hearing test with an ACTIV-EARS audiologist. Because the test is FREE*, you can also get a test alongside them to make it a bit more relaxed. The bottom line is that hearing loss will only get worse over time if you don’t treat it with the right hearing solutions, so you shouldn’t put off this test if you can help it.