Julie Raney is a certified and licensed audiologist. She has a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a Master’s Degree in Audiology from Idaho State University. She has worked as a clinical audiologist in Colorado since 2005. She specializes in hearing amplification for adults and delivers her services in both English and Sign Language.

Acknowledge Your Feelings

You have started to realize the impact of your hearing loss on your life, but you weren’t expecting it to have such a big effect on your emotions. When you have hearing loss its common to feel denial, frustration, helplessness, and even depression. Acknowledge that this is how you’re feeling, and allow yourself to have strong emotions during this transitional period. You’re going through a grieving process, and will need time to come to terms with your hearing loss to move forward. Talk to your family about how you’re feeling, and don’t hide your experiences.

Coming to Terms with Your Hearing Loss

Once you’ve admitted the reality of your hearing loss, you can move past denial and anger, and get to acceptance. Denying that you’re struggling to hear won’t bring your hearing back, and getting frustrated and angry at the people around you won’t improve communication or help your hearing loss. Coming to terms with your hearing loss is an important step to having great health outcomes. Once you’ve admitted you’re struggling to hear you’ll be able to seek treatment, and get back to hearing clearly. You won’t need to get frustrated with your loved ones when you think they’re mumbling, or become upset when you ask someone to repeat themselves over and over again.

Tips for Easy Communication

After you’ve been fitted with quality hearing aids, you’ll be amazed at the difference clear hearing will make in your life! You’ll be able to hear without straining to follow conversations, and won’t have to guess at what’s been said. Your relationships will improve, and you’ll enjoy great quality of life. The transition period won’t happen overnight though, and along with getting a great pair of hearing aids, following a few simple tips will make communication easier for everyone.

When struggling to hear, it’s very common for seniors to become socially isolated. They might choose to stay home rather than meet friends in a place where they can’t hear clearly. If you’re struggling to hear, there are a few things you can ask your friends to do that will make it communication easy for everyone. If you meet a friend in their home, ask them to turn off any background noise, like the TV or radio. Ask them to say your name before they start talking to you, so that you’ll be paying attention from the moment they start speaking, and won’t have to guess at that they said in the first half of the sentence. Ask them to speak normally, without speaking very fast or slow, and without yelling. They may think that speaking louder will help you hear, but shouting will actually distort the sounds, and make it even more difficult for you to make out what’s been said.

New Leaf Hearing Clinic

The average American will wait five to seven years before seeking treatment for their hearing loss! Don’t let hearing loss rob you of the best years of your life, but come to terms with your hearing loss and get back to enjoying the things you love the most.

At New Leaf Hearing Clinic our hearing health specialists will work with you to find the perfect device that will have you hearing clearly, and excited to put on your hearing aids every day. You’ll never waste time straining to hear, or get embarrassed when you answer a question inappropriately. You’ll easily catch everything that’s been said, and enjoy conversations again. Start your journey to clear hearing today, and visit us at New Leaf Hearing Clinic.