3 Questions to Ask Your Loved One’s Audiologist
Is your loved one visiting the audiologist for the first time? You can make them more comfortable and confident just by accompanying them to the appointment. You can also help them get more out of their visit by taking notes in case they miss anything and by helping them find answers to important issues. Below are three examples of questions to ask your loved one’s audiologist, as adapted from The National Patient Safety Foundation’s “Ask Me 3” patient education program*:
1. How much hearing loss does my loved one have and what caused it? Hearing loss has a wide variety of causes and degrees**. In some cases, the loss may be a result of gradual ear wax buildup and can be resolved by simply removing the wax. In other cases, the hearing loss may be a result of damage to the inner ear from aging or prolonged noise exposure, or might indicate the need for additional tests.
2. What does he or she need to do to treat the hearing loss? The underlying reason, degree, and type of loss will make some solutions more suitable than others. If the audiologist suggests trying a hearing device, factors to consider include: your loved one’s degree of hearing loss, appearance preferences (being comfortable with a partially-visible hearing aid versus a 100% invisible hearing aid), and lifestyle factors. For example, someone who wants to use hearing aids while sleeping or showering should consider an extended wear hearing aid, like Lyric. A person who is frequently in noisy environments or group settings may need more advanced features than someone who will primarily use the hearing aid at home.
3. Why is treatment important? Hearing loss has been correlated with negative social, physical and emotional effects. Recent studies*** have shown that people with hearing loss are more likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s or dementia, and depression. Untreated hearing loss can also cause people to withdraw from social settings or activities they previously enjoyed. The audiologist can explain the importance of treating hearing loss as early as possible.
For more tips on living and communicating with someone with hearing loss, see other articles in the Lyric Hearing Aid blog, or “like” our Lyric Hearing Facebook page to automatically receive updates in your newsfeed.