How To Persuade a Parent To Use Hearing Aids?

Hearing loss is part of many people’s lives. However, only when we feel its presence in our family can we really understand its gravity in normal every day actions such as watching TV, listening to music, communicating over the phone or in person, etc. For anyone who is affected by hearing loss, accepting that they have a problem and the need to take measures is sometimes very difficult. The elderly particularly need help from their relatives to overcome the fear of change and avoid isolation in situations where they suffer from some degree of hearing impairment. Often, however, it is challenging to persuade a parent to use hearing aids. You should remember, though, that the benefits of a hearing aid and the improved quality of life of your parent will experience definitely outweigh the time spent in persuasion. You may well have to be patient and understanding during the process. The first thing to do when you find that their hearing may be showing signs of diminishment is to convince them to visit a specialist and have their ears and hearing checked. It is good if you go with them and show your support. It is common that after a certain age parents need more care and attention especially if hearing problems are accompanied by other health conditions. Before purchasing hearing aids, however, you have to be sure that the condition demands it, e.g. it is not earwax build up or infection that can be treated with medicines, and then discuss with the audiologist the most suitable hearing aid type. Many elderly people feel scared and threatened by hearing aids, as they may seem complicated. Take the time to inform yourself about the different hearing aid models and their features. Then explain to your parent the benefits of the device without going into detail of the electronics or features that they may not understand or care about. Make them see the hearing aid as the help they need to hear better and live better, point out that they will be able to watch TV without everyone leaving the room or complaining about the volume level, to have normal conversations over the phone or at family gatherings, to hear the doorbell ringing or the fire alarm. Your parents may be apprehensive about wearing hearing aids because they may connect them to old age, disability or admittance that they are incapable of doing some of the things they did before. You may re-assure them that today’s hearing aids mean that it can often be more obvious that they have a hearing loss without them than when they are using them. In addition, they may picture the devices as big, not appealing or very visible to the others. You can help them understand that hearing aids have gone a long way and modern technology allows them to be almost invisible coming in different sizes, models and colours. Another issue to explain to them is that although some hearing aids are very expensive there are ways to get an affordable hearing aid that will not put a strain on their budget. You can look around at online shops such as hearingdirect.com, find the best option in price and features, and present them with a few choices. That way they will have a say in the decision and will perceive the hearing aid not as an unwelcome obligation but as a precious acquisition.

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