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Home » Is Your Senior Giving You Clues that She’s Losing Her Hearing?
Hearing loss is something that you and your aging adult might not realize is happening because it can manifest itself so gradually. The problem is that hearing loss can have a huge impact on your aging adult’s quality of life. The sooner you figure out what is going on the sooner you can do something about it.
The Television Is Always Loud
When your senior’s hearing isn’t working as well as it did, she may compensate for that by gradually turning up the television and the radio so that she can hear it. The problem is, she may not realize just how loud the volume is getting until other people mention it. And at that point, she might feel more defensive than anything else.
She’s Irritated When People Mumble
One of the things that your senior can’t control is how loud other people are when they talk to her. In fact, she might complain frequently that they’re all mumbling or that they never speak up. This can lead to arguments that confuse the people trying to communicate with your aging adult. If this happens frequently, the problem is most likely with your senior’s hearing and not necessarily with every person that she talks to.
She Can’t Tell Where Sounds Are Coming From
One of the aspects of good hearing that you might not think about much is that you can usually tell where sounds are coming from. For instance, your elderly family member might hear something to the right of her when the person talking to her is actually behind her. You might notice your senior looking around when people talk to her, because she’s not sure where they are from just auditory cues.
She’s Avoiding Activities She Usually Enjoys
Your elderly family member might suddenly start avoiding activities that she normally enjoys quite a bit. This can be especially true if there’s an element of instruction involved, or if there are plenty of opportunities for conversation. This isn’t healthy for your senior because it can lead to depression and isolation, which could easily be avoided simply by diagnosing her hearing difficulties.
Sometimes even these clues can be subtle ones for you to pick up on. It can help to have a third party, such as homecare providers, who help with your senior’s care and can spot the signs of hearing loss. Homecare providers can help you determine how much hearing is impacting your aging adult’s life.