Overcoming Obstacles

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Seeking treatment

Untreated hearing loss negatively affects quality of life. New, effective solutions for hearing loss are available. Treating a hearing loss has been associated with improvements in self-confidence, relationships, social life, and physical and mental health. So why do less than half of all people who need hearing aids have them? The answer to this question can be useful in understanding how to help a loved one with hearing loss.

Top Reasons

A recent study (Kochkin, 2007) investigated why people who need hearing aids don’t get them. Among the top reasons were those related to the hearing loss – “hearing loss not severe enough” or “loss too mild”. These reasons were surprising given that many of the people surveyed reported significant hearing loss and difficulties with communication due to their hearing loss. Other top reasons indicated a lack of need – “I hear well in most situations” or “Hearing loss is not disruptive to my life” – even with people who reported very significant hearing losses. Yet other top reasons can be categorized into financial issues (“can’t afford”); negative attitudes about hearing aids (they’re a “hassle”); and lack of knowledge about hearing loss and hearing aids.

Can Loved Ones Help?

Can loved ones influence these obstacles? Absolutely. Hearing loss directly affects one’s family and social network, and treatment benefits the entire family as well. Loved ones can help motivate people with hearing loss to get the help they need. In fact, this same study looked at people with an intent to purchase hearing aids, and what influenced that decision. “Family recommendation or pressure” was cited as one of the top motivating factors, with 62% of those surveyed indicating that this was a driver in their decision. With support, patience and information you can motivate your loved one to seek treatment.

Recognizing the problem

For adults with hearing loss, the first step in seeking treatment is recognizing the hearing problem. Hearing loss has been called an “invisible” health condition as there are no outward physical signs associated with it. It usually occurs gradually, and may be noticed by close friends and family members before it’s noticed by the person who’s affected. With a hearing loss, you don’t always know what you missed, because you didn’t hear it. Sometimes, things may sound loud enough, but not be clear. For the person with hearing loss, this can lead to the perception that he’s hearing fine, if other people would just stop mumbling.

In addition to not noticing the hearing loss, denial can also occur. Denial can take the form of denying the loss altogether, or understating its impact. In some cases, statements such as “I hear well in most situations” or “Hearing loss is not disruptive to my life” may be a minimization of the effect of hearing loss. Denial is a common reaction to stress (Mayo Clinic, 2007). It can help allay fear and frustration for people with hearing loss, while they get the information needed to find productive solutions.

Whether your loved one doesn’t notice the hearing loss or denies it, patience is key. Give your loved one the opportunity to obtain objective data (such as a comprehensive hearing evaluation) in a supportive environment. Provide examples of friends who’ve been successful with hearing aids or other amplification devices. If your loved one minimizes the impact of the hearing loss, share with him or her how the loss affects you and others close to you both. It may take some time, but with patience and support, you can help your loved one as he or she comes to term with the loss and takes the first steps toward treatment.

Kochkin, S. (2007). MarkeTrak VII: Obstacles to adult non-user adoption of hearing aids. The Hearing Journal, 60(4), 24-51.

Mayo Clinic (2007). Refusing to Face the Facts. How Denial Can Impact Your Health. Mayo Clinic Women's Healthsource, 11(4), 7.