when someone you know has a hearing loss innovative hearing solutions
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the effects of hearing loss are not limited to the hearing impaired person alone hearing loss also has a significant impact on family friends and co-workers difficult communication misunderstandings and the frequent need to repeat what is said can be frustrating for everyone involved fortunately there are several things you can do to help make communication easier the first step is to be aware of the difficulties the hearing impaired person faces.
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1 facts about hearing loss most people with hearing loss experience both a decrease in the volume of sounds and a decrease in the clarity of speech even when it is loud enough though a person may hear what you say they may not always understand all the words or may confuse some sounds for others 2 3 4 background noise makes understanding extremely difficult even people with normal hearing have difficulty communicating when there is a lot of background noise for those with hearing loss the problem is even worse many people feel embarrassed about their hearing loss and may nod their head and pretend to understand when they actually don t although hearing aids and other assistive listening devices can help they do not restore hearing to normal the way that eyeglasses correct vision a person wearing a hearing aid will still have trouble understanding in some situations innovative hearing solutions
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5 it takes time to get used to a hearing aid especially for those who have had a hearing loss for a long time sounds that have been forgotten need to be relearned the world can seem very noisy and even overwhelming at first if you know someone who has tried hearing aids but has stuffed them into a drawer encourage them to go back to their dispenser to have the aids readjusted it can take several visits to achieve a comfortable fit and comfortable sound quality your patience and encouragement can be a big help 6 hearing loss can be mistaken for senility in older people make sure that a thorough hearing test is part of any health evaluation.
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good communication habits communication is a two-way street when you know someone who has a hearing loss there are many things you can do to help communication flow smoothly by adopting the following good communication habits you can greatly increase the chance of successful communication making the conversation more enjoyable for everyone 1 2 3 get the attention of the hearing impaired person before you start speaking if they are ready to communicate they are less likely to miss anything don t shout speak in a clear projected voice but not too loud enunciate clearly but do not overemphasize your words don t talk too fast or too slow many people with hearing loss understand better when speech is just slightly slower than normal but not too slow innovative hearing solutions
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4 make sure your face can be clearly seen lighting should be adequate and there should be nothing covering your mouth or face many sounds of speech are visible on the lips and can provide important extra clues to the hearing impaired person 5 6 don t talk when the water is running background noises can make understanding very difficult turn off sources of noise before having a conversation or move to a quieter area if possible don t talk to someone from the next room distance from the listener is important the further away you are the less chance that you will be heard make sure you are in the same room and close enough to be easily heard and seen 7 rephrase rather than repeat when someone asks you to repeat it may be more helpful if you rephrase what you said sometimes different words will be easier to understand.
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8 9 be on the lookout for misunderstandings ask questions from time to time to make sure that the person has understood what you have said relax and be patient people with hearing loss often feel a great amount of stress as they concentrate to understand every word that is said a kind facial expression and an accepting attitude can help a hearing impaired person relax and enjoy the conversation innovative hearing solutions
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remember hearing is not only an issue for the elderly hearing is a health and a quality of life issue don t wait for a hearing impairment to become a problem contact your hearing care professional now bernafon s mission is to help people to hear and communicate better by providing innovative hearing solutions the benefits of hearing instruments vary across individuals we recommend that you contact a hearing care professional to discuss the potential benefits and limitations of hearing instrument use for more information about hearing and hearing loss www.hear-it.org www.bernafon.com innovative hearing solutions bern amsterdam auckland berlin brisbane copenhagen gdaŽ sk n glasgow new jersey paris rome stockholm tokyo toronto 02.05/bag/956-75-010-00/subject to change
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