Hearing loss, the invisible disability.

Don’t bother telling dad, he can’t hear anyway…..

Do you have your hearing aids on…..

Oh that man he’s deaf as a stone…..

Hearing loss is an invisible disability. In my 25 years as an audiologist one thing  I’ve noticed is people think it’s OK to make fun of people who have hearing loss. Poking fun at grandpa not hearing or grandma misunderstanding.  Hearing loss is a disability and should be treated as such. You wouldn’t make fun of somebody who can’t see or can’t walk, why is it OK to make fun of somebody who has trouble hearing??

People need to be more sensitive to the disability of hearing loss. Most often our closest friends and family members don’t realize how hurtful it is to comment on this disability.

Although hearing aids have gotten so much better in recent years, you still cannot hear somebody talking to you from another room.   It’s important for patients to bring family members with them to the fitting appointments.  The patients are doing their part by wearing their hearing aids. Family members need to do their part by making sure when they’re talking to somebody who has a hearing impairment , they come in the same room and within a reasonable distance from that person so they can hear better.  They need to speak slower and clearer.  When going out to restaurants. choose one with better acoustics, or a seat in the corner may help with noise.

Technology has advanced so significantly we’ve had so many people happier than ever wearing hearing aids, however, it still does not replace normal hearing. We have to adjust the whole family’s approach to conversation and make this person‘s life as easy as possible. And we have to have compassion for the hearing impaired.  They did not choose this hearing loss, but they are wearing a hearing aid and doing the most they can to be a vital part of the conversation.  We have to do our part too!