Interacting with someone suffering from a hearing loss can be as difficult on the friends, family and co-workers as the individual involved. Below are tips for coping with the hard of hearing. We hope that these can make interacting with the hard of hearing as easy and stress free as possible.

• Face the hard of hearing person directly on the same level whenever possible.
• See that the light is shining on the speaker's face, not in the eyes of the hard of hearing person.
• Do not talk from another room; if you must, make sure the person has heard you call him and tell him what room you are in.
• Recognize that everyone (especially the hard of hearing) does not hear as well and understands less when he is tired or ill.
• Speak in a normal fashion without elaborately mouthing words. Speake a bit more slowly. Do not run together. Clear speach is more effective than shouting.
• Keep your hands away from your mouth while talking.
• If you are eating, chewing, smoking, smiling, etc., while talking, your speech will be more difficult to understand.
• If a person has difficulty understanding some particular phrase or word, try to find a different way of saying the same thing (rephrase) rather than repeating the original words over and over.
• Avoid talking or using sentences which are too complex or go on too long. Slow down a little bit; pause between sentences or phrases. Wait to make sure that you have been understood before going on.
• If you are given specific information, such as time or place, be sure it is repeated back to you by the hard of hearing person. Many numbers and words sound alike.
• Avoid sudden changes of topic. If the subject is changed, tell the hard of hearing person, We are talking about ____________ now.
• Don't drop your voice at the end of sentences.

There is no need to suffer unnecessarily from hearing loss. With modern testing and treatment a vast majority of hearing loss can be overcome, and sometimes hearing loss can be the symptom of other more serious medical conditions. Don't wait. If you someone you love is suffering from hearing loss, have them tested today by a licenced audiologist. We can help contact us for and appointment or more information.