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Help! My loved one refuses to consider a hearing aid
It can be hard for a partner or parent to admit they have a hearing problem and may need hearing aids. Try these 4 gentle ways to get them past the stigma.
If you’re trying to persuade your spouse or a family member to put on a pair of hearing aids, you’re in good company. Roughly 29 million adults in the United States could benefit from hearing aids. But only about 16% of these adults ages 20 to 69 actually wear them, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.1
Talking to your loved ones about hearing aids can be tricky. “Oftentimes, people are reluctant to seek treatment for their hearing, and what you don’t want to do is gang up on them,” says Rebecca Younk, Au.D. She’s the owner and chief audiologist at Associated Hearing Care with Beltone Technology in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota.
That doesn’t mean you should give up. Here are a few tips that may help convince your spouse or a family member to see a hearing care professional (such as an audiologist) for an exam. And then get fitted for the right pair of hearing aids.
Share your concerns
It’s no secret that hearing loss can have a negative effect on a person’s health and quality of life. For starters, people with hearing loss have to work harder to fill in the blanks during everyday conversations, says Younk. That can be exhausting.
Being unable to follow conversations tends to make people feel left out. Or embarrassed. They may even become depressed and socially isolated.2 Eventually, they may even stop trying to take part in family gatherings or conversations.
And that’s not good for the brain. If left untreated, hearing loss may contribute to dementia in older adults, according to the National Institutes of Health.3 But the good news is that hearing aids can cut the risk of dementia by nearly half.
Let’s say your spouse doesn’t hear well but they keep putting off scheduling a hearing exam. And you keep reminding them (all right, nagging them) to get it done. But nothing has changed.
Try a more caring approach instead, advises Younk. “You could say, ‘I want you to be involved with family events’ and ‘I don’t want you to feel isolated or have to work so hard to hear.’” If they’re a member of AARP®, they can request a hearing exam and consultation without a referral through AARP® Hearing Solutions™ provided by UnitedHealthcare Hearing.
Stress the benefits
Hearing aids can’t restore normal hearing, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.4 So, using them is not like slipping on a pair of eyeglasses. But they do help people hear more sounds — and hear them more clearly.
Maybe you’re trying to convince an aging parent to wear hearing aids. Tell your mom or dad that with hearing aids they’ll be able to speak on the phone more easily. When they’re at a gathering or game, they’ll be able to lower the background noise so they can hear conversations better.4
And the easier it is to hear and understand other people, the more likely it is that they will want to be around others.
In fact, hearing loss is a big reason why so many older adults face loneliness and social isolation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.5 Loneliness and social isolation take a toll on physical health as well as mental health. They can lead to heart disease and strokes. In fact, social isolation may be as bad for the body as smoking.5
That’s not all though. When you can’t hear well, your balance may be off. And that raises the risk of falling. So, hearing aids can help prevent falls that may lead to serious injury.6, 7
Share these benefits with your parent or loved one. Focus on how hearing aids could make their everyday life better — and keep them healthier and happier.
AARP members have access to a wide network of hearing care professionals. Find a provider.
Challenge the stigma
Many people don’t want to admit they’re getting older. Or that their bodies are changing, Younk says. Or they may worry that wearing a hearing aid will make them look older or like they have a disability, she adds.
Here’s a powerful argument that could just change their mind: Hearing loss is more noticeable than a hearing aid. “When people answer incorrectly or nod their head and obviously don’t know what’s being said, that’s much more obvious than devices that sit behind the ear,” says Younk.
Gently point out to your loved one that asking others to repeat what they say is much more noticeable. Then they may be more inclined to try hearing aids. (Not to mention, many of today’s hearing aids are so tiny they’re nearly invisible in the ear.)
Keep it positive
Your spouse or loved one may know someone who had a negative experience with hearing aids in the past. Perhaps their friend’s hearing aids didn’t work well, were hard to get used to or cost too much. In that case, it’s not surprising that your loved one might have doubts about trying them.
To get them on board, remind them that people have different needs and experiences. “You could say, ‘I appreciate what you’ve heard from others, but let’s make this about you,’” Younk says. Let them know that there are many newer styles and models of hearing aids out there.
Finally, encourage your loved one to see a hearing care professional for a complete hearing exam and consultation. You could even offer to go with them to the appointment for moral support. The hearing care professional will help them find a device that’s right for their hearing loss, lifestyle and ear structure.8
Bottom line: Your gentle encouragement might just be the nudge your loved one needs to try hearing aids. And that can help them get back in the swing of things—and spend quality time with the people who matter to them most.
Sources
- Quick statistics about hearing, balance, and dizziness National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Last updated March 4, 2024.
- Hearing loss: a common problem for older adults National Institute on Aging. Last updated January 19, 2023.
- Hearing aids slow cognitive decline in people at high risk National Institutes of Health. Published August 8, 2023.
- Hearing aid benefits and limitations U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Last reviewed November 18, 2022.
- Health effects of social isolation and loneliness Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last reviewed March 26, 2024.
- The top benefits of using hearing aids National Council on Aging. Last updated October 20, 2023.
- Older adults falls data Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last reviewed September 6, 2023.
- Audiologists vs. hearing instrument specialists vs. ENTs American Academy of Audiologists. Accessed May 2, 2024.
Information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed medical provider. Consult your provider prior to making changes to your lifestyle or health care routine.
AARP Hearing Solutions is available to all AARP members and does not require a health insurance plan from UnitedHealthcare. The AARP hearing program discount cannot be combined with any other discounts, promotions, coupons or hearing aid benefit plans unless noted herein. Products or services that are reimbursable by federal programs including Medicare and Medicaid are not available on a discounted or complimentary basis. AARP commercial member benefits are provided by third parties, not by AARP or its affiliates. Providers pay a royalty fee to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. Some provider offers are subject to change and may have restrictions. Please contact the provider directly for details. UnitedHealthcare Hearing is provided through UnitedHealthcare, offered to existing members of certain products underwritten or provided by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or its affiliates to provide specific hearing aid discounts. This is not an insurance nor managed care product, and fees or charges for services in excess of those defined in program materials are the member's responsibility. UnitedHealthcare does not endorse nor guarantee hearing aid products/services available through the hearing program. This program may not be available in all states or for all group sizes. Components subject to change.
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