Hearing aids are great! But it’s what you do with them that counts.
Here are some tips that can help you communicate effectively with others when using your hearing aids.
Communication tips
When you can see the person you are speaking with well:
- Make sure they face you
- Make sure you can see their face clearly
- Make sure the person gets your attention before they start speaking
- Ask them to speak normally and not exaggerate their lip movement
When you cannot see the person you are speaking with well:
- Ask them to speak clearly
- Ask them to repeat or say things differently if you do not understand what they have said
- Reduce background noise by moving to a quieter space if possible
- Consider using assistive devices such as remote microphones with hearing aids to improve the quality of speech over background noise
“>Explore more RNID communication tips for hearing loss.
John’s story
“I set myself a goal”
How to talk to your family about hearing loss
- Tell them about your hearing loss
- Explain what your hearing loss is like
- Bring them to your audiologist appointment
- Share your emotions about your hearing loss
- Break down the stigma, make hearing loss a normal part of the family dynamic
- Teach them best practices, let them know what they can do to help you hear your best
- Invite them to your self-advocacy efforts
- Create a signal for when you don’t hear something
- Experiment with new technologies
- Bring your sense of humour
Download the Ida Institute’s tips for talking to your family about hearing loss (PDF, 653 KB).