Your senior’s hearing issues can have a dramatic impact on her quality of life. As her caregiver, you may be uncertain whether what you’re seeing might be related to difficulty hearing or something else entirely. Knowing what signs to watch for can help you to get a better handle on what you’re seeing and what your senior is experiencing. 

Things Seem to Be Louder in General 

If you’re noticing that things in your senior’s life generally seem to be louder than they used to be, you’re probably not imagining it. Often people who are having trouble hearing compensate by turning up the volume on things where the volume is something they can control. When you’re likely to really notice this is when those volumes become very loud and your senior is still having trouble hearing them. 

You’re Noticing She’s Mumbling More 

Even with the television and other things getting louder around your senior, you might notice she’s mumbling more than she did in the past. There are reasons for that. Because she doesn’t hear as well as she used to, she’s not as able to regulate the volume of her voice, either. She may start to talk more and more softly, fearing that she’s shouting if she doesn’t lower her volume. You may also notice that she’s complaining more about how loudly or softly other people are talking. 

She Can’t Filter out Background Noise 

When you talk to your senior and other things are happening in the background, that can be difficult for her to filter through. Hearing issues often cause background noises and conversations she’s interested in can seem to blend together. This happens often in a group setting, or anytime there’s a lot going on in the background. Muting those background noises can help, but it isn’t always possible. 

She’s Less Likely to Engage in Conversations 

All of this can add up to potentially isolating behaviors. Your senior may start to notice that she’s having trouble hearing and instead of letting you know, she may instead stop engaging in conversations. She might do this in a really subtle way by always being unavailable, or she may walk away when conversations are happening around her. 

If you’re seeing signs that your aging family member may have a hearing problem, talk to her doctor about the best ways to proceed. Once you’ve got a plan, you can start to take action in ways that make life easier for your senior. 

If you or an aging loved-one is considering a Caregiver in Oro Valley, AZ please contact the caring staff at Sunlife Home Care today at (877) 888-1311.