As you get older body parts start to wear down and wear out. Things you used to do without thinking now take effort. If you have noticed your spouse having trouble hearing the television or repeatedly asking you what you just said, you are probably suspicious that he can't hear as well as he used to. He might strongly deny it, but you know you have a husband hard of hearing.
A lot of men hate admitting anything might be wrong with them, so getting your spouse to the audiologist may be a challenge. If you have to call and set the appointment up yourself and walk him into the office, you need to do it. Once the audiologist has confirmed your suspicions, the next thing to do is tackle the problem head on.
After the examination the audiologist will meet with the two of you to explain exactly what he found, how profound the loss is, and how much, if any, it will deteriorate in the future. The doctor might suggest hearing aids or surgical implants. The good news is that your spouse has time to think about it. This isn't life threatening.
Now that you know exactly what the problem is, there are ways you can help your spouse. When talking to him, face him and look him in the eye. If he is standing with his back to you, you can reach out and touch his back or shoulder to let him know you're behind him. Background noises interfere with conversation. Instead of trying to talk over the television, turn it off or down. Yelling is counterproductive. Exaggerated enunciation is insulting.
When you're in public places where you can't avoid background noise, it's okay to point or gesture in some way to make yourself understood. Don't cover your mouth, smoke, or chew when you are talking. Communication can be frustrating, especially in the beginning, but you have to be patient. It's not his fault he can't hear. If both of you can find ways to laugh about it, so much the better.
Your husband is not an invalid, and you aren't required to treat him like one. He has a responsibility to help you as well. He can tell when something you do makes it harder for him to hear you. He will have to handle public situations. He will have to learn to listen. You may have been telling him this for years, but now he doesn't really have a choice.
You shouldn't wait for an emergency to happen to make a plan. You and your partner can go shopping for special devices that will flash or vibrate to alert him to an unusual situation. You can choose from auditory, visual, and tactile devices.
Having trouble hearing what is going on around you is no fun. You might not be able to understand exactly what it's like, but you can be sympathetic and encouraging. He would do the same for you if the situation were reversed.
A lot of men hate admitting anything might be wrong with them, so getting your spouse to the audiologist may be a challenge. If you have to call and set the appointment up yourself and walk him into the office, you need to do it. Once the audiologist has confirmed your suspicions, the next thing to do is tackle the problem head on.
After the examination the audiologist will meet with the two of you to explain exactly what he found, how profound the loss is, and how much, if any, it will deteriorate in the future. The doctor might suggest hearing aids or surgical implants. The good news is that your spouse has time to think about it. This isn't life threatening.
Now that you know exactly what the problem is, there are ways you can help your spouse. When talking to him, face him and look him in the eye. If he is standing with his back to you, you can reach out and touch his back or shoulder to let him know you're behind him. Background noises interfere with conversation. Instead of trying to talk over the television, turn it off or down. Yelling is counterproductive. Exaggerated enunciation is insulting.
When you're in public places where you can't avoid background noise, it's okay to point or gesture in some way to make yourself understood. Don't cover your mouth, smoke, or chew when you are talking. Communication can be frustrating, especially in the beginning, but you have to be patient. It's not his fault he can't hear. If both of you can find ways to laugh about it, so much the better.
Your husband is not an invalid, and you aren't required to treat him like one. He has a responsibility to help you as well. He can tell when something you do makes it harder for him to hear you. He will have to handle public situations. He will have to learn to listen. You may have been telling him this for years, but now he doesn't really have a choice.
You shouldn't wait for an emergency to happen to make a plan. You and your partner can go shopping for special devices that will flash or vibrate to alert him to an unusual situation. You can choose from auditory, visual, and tactile devices.
Having trouble hearing what is going on around you is no fun. You might not be able to understand exactly what it's like, but you can be sympathetic and encouraging. He would do the same for you if the situation were reversed.
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