Communicating with someone who has severe hearing loss or both hearing and vision loss can seem daunting. However, with a few practical tips and a bit of patience, you can make the process smoother and more enjoyable for both of you. Here's how to enhance your communication skills and foster a deeper connection with your loved ones facing these challenges.
For Those with Hearing Loss:
Securing Attention: Begin by getting their attention. A gentle tap on the arm or saying their name can make all the difference. It's about respect and ensuring they're ready to engage with you.
Face-to-Face Is Key: Always communicate face-to-face. This not only shows respect but also utilizes visual cues and lip-reading, which are crucial for understanding, especially in noisy environments. Avoid speaking from behind or to the side.
Speech Clarity Over Volume: Speak clearly, not louder. Shouting can actually make it harder to understand you. If something doesn't get across, try rephrasing rather than increasing your volume.
Minimize Background Noise: Background noise can be a major barrier. Turning off distractions or moving to a quieter spot can help hearing aids work better and make your words clearer.
Non-Verbal Cues: Don't underestimate the power of a smile or a gesture. These can provide valuable context and enhance understanding.
Check Understanding: Periodically, ensure your companion follows the conversation by asking for their feedback or summarization. It shows you care about effective communication.
Patience and Support: Be prepared to repeat or rephrase information. Showing frustration can make communication more stressful than it needs to be. Be kind and patient.
Write It Down: For complex information, writing can prevent misunderstandings and ensure clarity.
Remember, effective communication is about making it easier for both parties. Being open to discussing and adjusting your methods can significantly improve your interactions.
For Those with Both Hearing and Vision Loss:
Communication with individuals who have dual sensory loss requires additional strategies:
Touch as Communication: A gentle touch can reassure and signal your presence, setting a foundation for effective communication. But ask for permission first.
Embrace Technology: Explore devices designed for dual sensory loss. These can be game-changers in how you connect. This could mean hearing aids that also vibrate or use of smartphones or watches that can connect to the hearing aids.
Simplicity in Language: Use clear, concise language. Complex sentences can be harder to process, so simplicity is key. At least start that way. As communication together continues with hearing aids in and glasses on it will get easier to have more complex conversations.
Optimal Lighting: Good lighting can aid those with partial vision in reading lips or catching facial expressions, enhancing understanding.
Tactile Signing: For those familiar with sign language, tactile signing can be an effective way to communicate.
Narrate Your Actions: Describing your actions and surroundings verbally can help in orienting and including them in the environment and activities.
Understanding and respecting personal preferences is crucial, as is exploring different methods to discover what works best.
Dealing with Refusal to Use Aids or Glasses
Sometimes, individuals may resist using hearing aids or glasses. In these cases, consulting with professionals and focusing on positive motivation strategies can encourage acceptance and usage.
The Key to Success: Consistency and Inclusion
Maintaining open lines of communication about preferences, strategies, and what works or doesn't is essential. Including the person with sensory loss in these discussions emphasizes respect, autonomy, and their integral role in successful communication strategies. After all, it's about enhancing their quality of life and happiness as much as it is about facilitating smoother interactions.
By adapting these practices and maintaining a flexible, patient, and supportive approach, you can help create a more inclusive and understanding environment. Remember, it's about doing the best you can and adjusting as necessary. Here's to happy families and enriched lives through better communication.
About me, Stephen M. Frey
I am an architect and artist that lives in Vermont with my wife Marita and sons. Earlier in my life I had mild hearing loss. In fact I was probably born with it. Over time my loss has increased in severity. I have used behind the ear aids since 2010 from Phonak in both ears. Before then I used older in the ear technology. It wasn’t great. But it was the best my parents could afford. I’m forever grateful!
I started wearing clunky and huge older fashioned behind the ear hearing aids in fourth grade. They were enormous and I thought ugly. I put them away for many years during middle, high school, and early years of college. That was because wearing them made me stand out and other kids made fun of me. (Or at least that is what I thought!)
Then as I grew older I wanted to really understand what friends and family were truly saying. This helped me overcome years of insecurities. Since my post college and graduate school years I have worn my hearing aids as much as possible and haven’t looked back since.
They really help me communicate and live a normal life. Plus it’s really amazing hearing your son’s first words and the birds sing. And the hearing aid technology keeps advancing!
If you need words of encouragement or someone to talk with about your own hearing aid and communication journey, or that of someone you love, please contact me. I am happy to talk and most of all, listen.
