What Might Hearing Loss Look Like in Your Senior?
January 15, 2019
Hearing loss is something that can happen so gradually in many people that it's difficult to spot at first. It's even more difficult if your elderly family member hasn't noticed that it's her hearing that is the issue. Here are a few things to look for.
Volume Levels Are Higher than Usual.
This often happens gradually, but you might start to notice that the TV or the radio are set to a higher volume level than they are normally. Your elderly family member might also be speaking at a higher volume than before. This happens because she's not as able to hear herself, either, and she doesn't realize she's shouting.
Telephone Calls Are Difficult.
Using the telephone may be more difficult for your senior now, too. She might start avoiding the phone or when she's talking to people on the phone she might get upset easily. That can happen because she may not be able to hear them as well as she wants or because people can't understand what she's saying.
Your Senior Might Seem to "Tune Out" More Often.
Everyone tunes out of conversations once in a while, but you might start noticing that your elderly family member is doing this more and more. She may seem to be unaware of when you're trying to get her attention or "fade out" while you're in the middle of a conversation. Your aging family member might not even realize that she's doing this because she can't hear what's going on around her as well.
She Responds in Odd Ways.
When your elderly family member is participating in conversations, she might seem to respond in odd ways. She might give an answer to a question that is completely off base or ask you a question unrelated to what you just said. It's easy to chalk this up to distraction or to other possibilities when it happens, but you might gradually realize it's happening more often.
She May Seem Angry or Frustrated More Often.
Normally easygoing people can get really frustrated by hearing loss. It's difficult to feel as if no one understands you and to realize that you're missing a lot of what's happening around you. This can make your elderly family member lash out or express her frustration in other ways that can surprise you.
Elder care providers can help you to spot these and other signs of hearing loss. Treating your elderly family member's hearing loss is important so that her health isn't affected and also so that she continues to interact with other people.