Age-Related Hearing Loss: Tips to Improve Communication

Age-related hearing loss, called prebycusis, affects the lives of millions of Americans. According to Mayo Clinic one-third of Americans between 65 and 75, and nearly half of those over 75, suffer from some hearing loss. But, symptoms of hearing loss can appear at any age.

Causes
The causes of age-related hearing loss range from exposure to loud noises throughout the lifetime to hereditary factors. Generally, the hearing loss is the result of the loss of tiny hairs inside the ear that send the electrical impulse to the brain, which in turn interprets it as a sound. When some hairs are missing, this message may be confused or the hairs may not respond to certain wavelengths that produce particular sounds.

Symptoms
The person with age-related hearing loss may notice that voices and familiar sounds appear muffled, or may have difficulty distinguishing the initial or ending sounds in words. He may find it difficult to distinguish words in a conversation when background noise is present.

Paradoxically, a person with age-related hearing loss may find loud noises annoying or bothersome, leading to much confusion for household members. It is difficult to understand why your aging parents or spouse may suddenly object to loud sounds, yet at the same time turn up the volume of the TV when they watch a show. This often leads the uninformed to think the person suffering from age-related hearing loss is "faking it" and simply isn't "listening" when you talk to them. MedlinePlus explains that certain sounds may appear loud, while high pitched sounds like "s" and "th" may be difficult to distinguish.

Helping Someone With Age-Related Hearing Loss
Although the exact nature of age-related hearing loss may be a bit difficult to comprehend, there are some simple things you can do to help someone with age-related hearing loss.

Minimize Background Noise.
Background noise often interferes with the ability to focus on the conversation at hand. Sounds may be confused as part of speech or it may simply be too difficult to filter out unrelated sounds. Choose a quiet area free of background noise when having a conversation with someone with age-related hearing loss. This includes choosing quiet areas in restaurants and other social settings.

Speak Clearer Not Louder
Family members and friends often make the mistake of thinking talking louder is the key to helping someone with age-related hearing loss-but that simply isn't true. Pronounce words clearly and pay close attention to your tendency to "swallow" beginning and ending consonants. Those with sharp hearing may be able to "translate' those garbled sounds, but someone with an age-related hearing loss may interpret them as entirely different sound.

Talk Face to Face.
Make an effort to speak the person with a hearing loss when you are facing them. Although some rely on "lip reading" or facial expression, there is another reason to face them. When you turn away, your voice is directed away from the listener. By facing the other person, your words and the sound waves are directed toward them making it easier to distinguish sounds.

Resist the Urge to Expect The Person to Listen Better
It's easy to assume a person with age-related hearing loss is just off in their own world and not paying attention to what you have to say. Although it may appear that way to you, it is rarely the case. Resist the urge to suggest the person learn to listen more. Take the initiative to make sure you have their attention before you begin talking and save both of you the frustration of missed messages.

Coming from someone who has been on both sides of the age-related hearing loss issue, I can tell you that it isn't a lot of fun-for either party. I remember my irritation when my father claimed to have difficulty hearing those around him and then could suddenly repeat a conversation held in another room. On one hand, he insisted the TV be turned down when someone else was watching, yet cranked the volume when he sat down to watch. I, of course thought he was faking it. Now, I am the one who scolds about the volume of the TV when others watch --but when I sit down I reach for the remote.