Hearing aids alone may not enable the person with hearing loss
to communicate successfully in all listening situations. As a family member or
friend of a person with hearing loss, you can help make the most of hearing aids
by following a few simple suggestions. Remember, communication involves at least
two individuals: a talker who sends the message and a listener who receives the
message.
Gain attention
Gain the listener's attention before you begin talking, for example, by
saying his or her name. Face him or her and make eye contact. If necessary,
touch the listener's hand, arm, or shoulder lightly. This simple gesture will
prepare the listener to listen and allow him or her to hear the first part of
the conversation.
Maintain eye contact
Visual communication is very important. Your facial expressions and body
language add vital information to the communication. For example, you can "see"
a person's anger, frustration, and excitement by watching the expression on his
or her face. Most listeners make use of lip-reading, naturally. By lip-reading,
you can understand some sounds that are more difficult to hear. Lip-reading
helps us understand speech, especially in difficult listening situations.
Hands off
When talking, try to keep your hands away from your face. Maintain good
manners by not talking with food in your mouth. If you are a smoker, hold the
cigarette in your hands while talking. You will produce clearer speech and allow
the listener to make use of those visual cues.
Speak naturally
Speak distinctly, but without exaggeration. You do not need to shout.
Shouting actually distorts the words. Try not to mumble, as this is very hard to
understand, even for people with normal hearing. Speak at a normal rate, not too
fast or too slow. Use pauses rather than slow speech to give the person time to
process speech.
Rephrase, rather than repeat
If the listener has difficulty understanding something you said, find a
different way of saying it. If he or she did not understand the words the first
time, it's likely he or she will not understand them a second time. So, try to
rephrase it.
Reduce background noise
Try to reduce background noises when conversing. Turn off the radio or
television. Move to a quiet corner or away from the noise source. When going to
a restaurant or making dinner reservations, ask for a table away from the
kitchen, server stations, or large parties. Take control of the environment; do
not let it control you.