Has someone ever tried talking to you from another room and you can't hear a word they are saying? These situations happen all the time! It becomes even more challenging when someone has hearing loss. Making sure someone can see you and hear you can help reduce misunderstandings.
When someone has hearing loss, they may have difficulty hearing soft or loud sounds. They may also struggle in both quiet and noisy environments. This can lead to frustration, social withdrawal, and decreased quality of life. Adopting effective communication strategies may reduce these negative effects. The following tips and tricks are helpful for people with and without hearing loss.
Here are some effective ways to speak to someone with hearing loss. If you have hearing loss, these are some ways to advocate for yourself.
- Get Their Attention: Before speaking, make sure the intended listener is looking at you. You can do this by waving, saying their name, or tapping them on the shoulder if appropriate. Maintaining eye contact is important, if possible. Eye contact indicates they are attentive and are ready for what you are going to say.
- Face the Person: Always face the individual you are speaking with. This allows them to read your facial expressions and lips. This provides more context for what you are saying. Make sure your hands or another object are not covering your face or mouth when you are speaking.
- Speak Clearly: Make sure to enunciate your words. Do not over exaggerate your mouth movements or slow your rate of speech to an unnatural rate. Avoid shouting at the person as that will distort your speech.
- Reduce Background Noise: Turn off or lower the volume of all devices that could interfere with the conversation. This may include televisions, radios, or music sources. It is important to be in the same room as the intended listener. This helps reduce background noise and increases the volume of your voice.
- Rephrase Instead of Repeat: If the listener did not catch what you said the first time, say it again a different way. Repeating exactly what you say does not provide the listener with more context. It is important to rephrase what you said so they can better understand your message.
These tips will help you communicate with those around you. This is especially true for those with hearing loss! Effective communication helps you create and maintain connections with others, but keep in mind that these conversational tips are only part of the solution. You may consider pursuing hearing aids if you have hearing loss. Combining these strategies with hearing aids will help set you up for success!