5 Ways to Spot Potential Hearing Problems in Your Elderly Loved One

Senior Care in Falls Church VA

Your elderly loved one might be experiencing hearing loss for a variety of reasons, but it might not be as easy to spot as you might think. Sometimes loved ones try to hide symptoms, but other times the symptoms are more subtle than we realize. Here are some situations that can clue you in.

The Television or Radio Volume Is Higher than Ever

Maybe you’ve started to notice that the volume on the radio or the television is creeping higher and higher and you’re wondering if it means something. It’s a really good indicator that your loved one isn’t hearing as well and needs the volume increase in order to make up the difference. Some shows or music may be easier for him to hear than others, though, so you might hear fluctuations in the volume over the course of a few hours.

Your Loved One Has Trouble Following Conversations

If your loved one is having a hard time hearing, then conversations can be difficult. This is especially true if those conversations are group conversations or if they occur in a place where there is a lot of background noise. Your loved one might find himself asking repeatedly what someone said, particularly if that person is on the other side of the table.

Your Loved One Finds the Telephone Challenging

Telephones can be difficult for loved ones with hearing difficulties because there is no other context from which to pull. In a face to face conversation, your loved one might unknowingly resort to lip reading or to facial changes in order to gauge the conversation. On the telephone, he has none of that.

Your Loved One Often Mumbles Himself While Complaining About Others

Sometimes a loved one with hearing problems worries that he’s shouting himself, since he can’t really hear how loud he’s talking for himself. To compensate, he may be likely to mumble or talk at a lower volume. The irony, of course, is that he’s probably also complaining about other people mumbling when he’s trying to listen to them.

Your Loved One Just Doesn’t Participate in Conversations

At some point, your loved one might just give up on participating in conversations. He may pretend he’s listening or he might actively ignore what’s going on. He might be doing this if he feels embarrassed by not being able to hear properly, so it’s best to try talking to him in private about this.

Talk to your loved one’s doctor and elder care providers about ways that you can help him to feel included in conversations.

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Falls Church, VA, call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. 703-273-8818

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Michelle DeFilippis

I graduated with a BS degree and had been selling medical equipment to hospitals, clinics and technicians. More recently, a family member was diagnosed with dementia and we, as a family, realized we were not prepared t care for her. We were thrown into that whirlpool of hospital stays, 24/7 live-in care, skilled care, caring for mom ourselves and finally, now daily home care. This was such a stressful time that I started thinking there had to be other people, other families as overwhelmed and unprepared as we were.

Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.

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