Hearing loss is much more common in the elderly than you may know. In fact, about 30% of older adults (1 in 3) have hearing loss. That makes the odds high for your elderly loved one to be struggling with hearing loss, even if they never complain about it. But since you can’t hear what they are hearing (or not hearing), how will you know if your elderly loved one is struggling with hearing loss and needs a home care provider to step in and help?
Six Signs Your Loved One May Be Suffering from Hearing Loss
#1 Communication Has Become More Difficult
You might notice that your loved one is asking people to repeat themselves quite frequently – so much so that it becomes annoying to those who have to repeat themselves, and both parties may give up on the conversation altogether.
You could also begin to notice that your loved one responds inappropriately because they didn’t hear accurately what was said. They might also start to claim that they were never told something because the truth is they either didn’t hear it or understand it when it was told to them.
#2 They React Differently to Sounds
While you might think a common sign of hearing loss is that your loved one doesn’t seem to hear the doorbell or the ding of the microwave when a meal is complete, and that’s true. But hearing loss can also sometimes amplify other sounds, making your loved one react more strongly to loud, abrupt sounds like a dog barking or a loud alarm. They might get very agitated by them.
#3 The Volume is Cranked Everywhere
The TV is loud, the radio is loud, and the speaker on the phone is turned up as high as it can. Another key indicator for the television is that closed captioning is turned on, helping your loved one understand what is being said when they can’t hear it correctly.
#4 Driving Issues
They don’t react to the sounds of the road while driving. Perhaps they don’t react to an emergency vehicle with its sirens on or the honking of another driver.
#5 Social Interactions
They’ve started to decline social interactions that require a lot of conversation. One place where many people with early-stage hearing loss struggle is in restaurants. Sitting far from other guests and the constant background noises can make it almost impossible for them to hear conversations.
#6 Dizziness
They’re struggling with dizzy spells or vertigo. Some hearing loss is caused by the degradation of the inner ear hair cells responsible for not only hearing but also balance as well.
Managing Hearing Loss at Home
If your loved one has hearing loss, there are plenty of assistive devices that can help them at home so they can live independently and remain safe. You might also find that this is a great time to start scheduling regular visits from home care providers to help them manage any areas of their home that their hearing loss makes difficult, such as preparing meals or driving.
A home care provider can help them run daytime errands, so they don’t need to worry about getting behind the wheel when they struggle to hear the noises on the street.
Helping your loved one understand that hearing loss doesn’t have to mean a loss of independence can give them the courage to seek treatment and support, and home care services is wonderful place to start.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Care in Palm Beach County, FL, please contact the caring staff at Elite Senior Home Care today at (561) 570-6613
Sources:
