How best to talk to someone with hearing loss
With an estimated 5% of the world’s population suffering from disabling hearing loss, there’s a good chance that you know someone who is hard of hearing to the point that it's disruptive to their lives.
Hearing loss affects people of all ages. Whether it’s your friend, family member, or colleague, you may have experienced difficulties conversing with them, particularly in noisy environments.
Depending on the severity of someone’s hearing loss, there are a number of ways to improve their hearing, including the use of hearing aids, speechreading, and sign language.
Regardless of what types of technology or communication styles they prefer, here are some common courtesies we can all follow to make conversation as easy as possible to follow for someone with hearing loss.
Let’s start with what NOT to do.
Don’t do this
Start speaking from another room - the more space between you, the harder it will be for them to hear. Visual cues are an important part of conversations for those hard of hearing.
Speak while chewing - this makes it difficult to hear what you’re saying, even for those without hearing issues. While most of us are conscious to not speak while eating, chewing gum also impacts your speech and the ability for others to speechread.
Yell or overly enunciate- while it may be a no-brainer, it's an automatic reaction for some to raise their voice when someone can’t hear them. Like chewing, yelling and over-enunciation distorts speech and makes it harder for those that speechread to follow what you’re trying to say. While speaking louder may be called for in some cases, like at restaurants or walking down a busy street, make sure you’re not yelling at your companion.
Do that
Respectfully get their attention - if you don’t already have eye contact, call their name, gently wave or tap their shoulder before you begin speaking. This gives them the opportunity to be prepared for the conversation before it starts.
Keep your face visible - Face forward and toward the person you’re speaking with so that they can see your entire face. Be conscious of lighting, as shadows and dim environments can make it difficult to see.
Speak slowly and clearly - This doesn’t mean speak SLOW, but be more aware if you’re a fast talker to slow it down. Take cues from the “don’ts” we mentioned above and make sure your speech is clear.
Ambient noise and loud environments obviously complicate conversations for those with hearing loss. Hearing aids can amplify or reduce sounds but have a limited ability to separate speech and noise. HeardThat was developed as a bridge for those that either don’t have hearing aids or want to boost their devices’ power to reduce or eliminate background noise in noisy environments.
HeardThat’s iOS and Android apps work with a number of Bluetooth-enabled hearing aid brands, including but not limited to Phonak, ReSound, Kirkland Signature, Unitron, Starkey and Widex. If you haven’t tried it yet, there’s still time to access the app for free.