Collin County Living Well Magazine July/August 2017

Tips for Talking to a Person with Hearing Loss By Elizabeth Brassine, Au.D. H earing loss can affect your life in many ways. You may miss out on talks with friends and family. Some- times hearing problems can make you feel embar- rassed, upset and lonely. It’s easy to withdraw when you can’t follow a conversation. It’s also easy for friends and family to think you are confused, uncaring or difficult when the problem may be that you just can’t hear well. We often get asked in our office by friends and family, es- pecially when fitting a new patient with hearing aids, how to best communicate with them. So, we thought we’d share some tips on how to communicate with a hearing impaired person. 1. Face the person and talk clearly (not while walking away from patient or while looking in cabinets, refrig- erators, etc). 2. Speak at a reasonable speed––often slowing down how you speak is more beneficial than raising your voice. 3. Do not hide your mouth (so much speech information comes from non-verbal cues and facial expressions) or talk while eating or chewing gum. 4. Stand in good lighting. 5. 6. 7. 8. Reduce background noises. Use facial expressions or gestures to give useful cues. Repeat yourself, if necessary, using different words. Include the hearing-impaired person when talking. Talk with the person, not about the person when you are with others. This helps keep the person with hear- ing loss from feeling alone and excluded. 9. Be patient; stay positive and relaxed. 10. Ask how you can help! Also important, here are some tips of what the hearing im- paired person can do to improve their communication with hearing aids: 1. Let people know that you have difficulty hearing. 2. Ask people to face you and to speak slowly and clear- ly. Ask them to speak without shouting, which can just distort the speech signal. 3. Pay attention to what is being said and to facial expres- sions or gestures. 4. Let the person talking know if you do not understand. 5. Ask people to reword a sentence and try again. 6. Turn off any unnecessary, extraneous noises (such as the radio while in a car, the television at home, etc.). 7. Wear your hearing aids consistently! Elizabeth Brassine is a Doctor of Audiology and the owner of Hearing Services of McKinney. HEARING SERVICES of M c Kinney Better Hearing Keeps You Connected! • Staffed by 2 Licensed, Doctors of Audiology • Hearing Aid Fittings, Maintenance and Repairs • Invisible Fittings/Open Fittings • Evaluation Period On All Hearing Aids • Hearing Evaluations For All Ages • Wireless/Connectivity Hearing Solutions • Battery Purchase Programs “After 10 years of training hearing • Custom Ear Protection professionals, I decided to come home • Assistive Devices to McKinney to do what I love most-helping the hearing impaired”. • 26 Years of Experience Liz Brassine, Au.D. Locally Owned and Operated Financing Options Available Mon-Fri: 8:30am- 5:00pm Other times available by appt. 972.838.1300 www.hearinmckinney.com 4201 Medical Center Dr, Suite 270 Across from Medical Center of McKinney LIZ BRASSINE, Au.D. DOCTOR OF AUDIOLOGY COLLIN COUNTY Living Well Magazine | JULY/AUGUST 2017 25

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