Communication Tips

Tips for communicating with hearing instrument users

How should you communicate with people who have impaired hearing? It is important to answer this question since hearing loss also impacts those wishing to communicate with affected individuals. People often avoid contact with the hearing impaired because they do not know how to react. This is not only unfortunate, but also unnecessary.

These tips are designed to ease communication with hearing impaired individuals and to help you support novice hearing instrument users to benefit fully from this modern technology

Practical advice for communicating with hearing instrument users

1. Speak clearly and naturally

   It is not necessary to shout. Loud speech may overload the hearing instrument causing voice distortion and even discomfort to the wearer. Maintain a normal tone of voice, speak clearly and slowly.
   
   

2. Move closer

   Reducing the distance between the speaker and the listener is helpful and encourages improved speech understanding. This is particularly important if there is background noise.
   
   

3. Face the listener

   Position yourself so that the listener can see your face and lips. Lip reading is instinctive to all of us, but it is particularly important to those with impaired hearing to supplement the sound of the speech.
   
   

4. Attract the listener's attention

   This can be done by using either the person's name, entering their field of vision, or tapping them lightly on the shoulder.
   
   

5. Take the surroundings into account

   Avoid trying to have conversations from one room to another or in rooms with distracting noises, e.g. washing machine, vacuum cleaner, loud music, etc.
   
   

6. Be aware of performance constraints

   Never put the hearing impaired listener and their instruments under too much pressure. They both have their limits.
   
   

7. Understand that using hearing instruments can be tiring

   When conversing with a novice hearing instrument user be sensitive to signs of fatigue. Don't force or prolong conversations if the listener is tired.
   
   

8. Be patient

   Respect the speed of progress and encourage the person with impaired hearing when obvious progress is made. Be a good listener and help the person achieve the goal of participating in life again.