Getting the Most Out of Your Hearing Aids
Part 2

Hearing loss problems

• Isolation from friends and family
• Avoidance of social events — parties, gatherings, restaurants where they may not be able to follow conversations
• Anxiety, depression, frustration, anger
• Trouble at work — not being able to understand on the phone, what is said at meetings, among co-workers, etc.
• Loss of confidence, self-esteem

"Riding out" the adjustment period

1. Try different listening situations during the first week or so. Some of these situations can include one-on-one conversations with family and friends, conversations with two or three people at a time in a quiet setting, listening in church or to a speaker at a meeting.
2. Next, try having conversations in noisier environments — at restaurants, parties, outdoor functions. But, remember: some situations are too noisy to hear, even for those of us without hearing loss.
3. Don't get discouraged. It's often helpful to write down any concerns or problems you're experiencing in various situations. Bring that list to your follow-up appointment so that they can be addressed. Oftentimes adjustments can be made in the office that will correct the problem you're having.

Learning to listen

• Stand close to people you are speaking with so that you see their faces clearly and hear them better.
• Watch the speaker's face, lips, and gestures. These will provide clues to what is being said.
• Concentrate and pay attention to what is being said---after years of not really being able to hear what people say, you may have lost the habit of paying attention.
• Don't try too hard to hear every single word when you are having a conversation or watching TV or movie. It's normal for everyone to miss a word here and there and fill them in from the surrounding words and sentences.
• Check your surroundings. If you are near a TV, radio, loud conversation, or other noise, move away from these noisy sources and position yourself so you can hear what is in front of you. When you go to a restaurant, sitting with your back to a wall is helpful. That way you won't have as much background noise to contend with.
• Wear your hearing aids! The more you use them, the sooner you will adjust to them. Too often people decide to only wear their hearing instruments when they are with other people. They refuse to wear them at home by themselves. It's important to keep the brain active — hearing the refrigerator and the furnace turn on are sounds those of us without a hearing loss hear all the time — but we tune them out because we're used to them. Once you are adjusted to your hearing aids, you, too, will be able to tune out sounds you don't care to notice. Wearing your hearing aids all the time keeps your brain active and agile and helps you hear better consistently.
• If you miss something that is said, ask the person to slow down or say the same thing using different words.

Family and friends

• Speak at a normal level — they don't need to shout anymore! Your hearing aid will make their voices louder.
• Talk naturally and clearly — not too quickly or too slowly; not too loudly or too softly.
• Turn off radios or TVs so that there is less background noise to compete with.
• Get your attention before they start speaking to you. Even with hearing aids, it is often necessary to look at the person when having a conversation.
• Talk to you face-to-face so that you can watch their facial expressions, gestures and lips.
• Avoid turning away when they talk with you.
• Pronounce words clearly.