Communicating with someone who suffers from a form of hearing loss isnβt easy, but the likelihood is that it will be something we all have to do at some point. The statistics highlight just how big a problem hearing loss has become in the UK. One in six of the population suffers from some form of hearing loss β thatβs more than 10 million people altogether.
Most of those ten million people developed hearing loss as they got older. Age-related damage to the cochlea is the single biggest cause: 71% of over 70 year olds and 42% of those aged 50 plus have some form of it. Itβs estimated, however, that there are at least four million people who do not have hearing aids, but would benefit from them.
So, with these numbers in mind, there is, unfortunately, a reasonable chance – certainly as the years roll by – that an older relative or friend will be affected. You might have to support them, and help them to seek further advice from a qualified Hearing Aid Audiologist, as a next step.
After that, it will be about establishing the best way of communicating with that person. The graphic below, put together by Hidden Hearing, has some really strong suggestions of tactics. Follow the seven simple rules and they should go some way to making communication just that little bit easier.
Hearing Loss Guidance Provided by Hidden Hearing
