Tips for Communicationg with People with Hearing Loss

Even with hearing aids, a person with hearing loss can misunderstand conversation. Words that are spoken may not be distinctive enough for a hearing impaired person to understand, causing misinterpretation, making what they hear seem senseless.

• It is suggested to speak at a close distance, and use the person's name to get their attention
• Speak clearly in a normal tone of voice as some hearing adis will shut off automatically if the input is too loud. Many people with hearing loss have trouble understanding what is being said, so clarity in your speech is more important than how loud you speak.
• Look at the person you are speaking to. Many hard-of-hearing people can read lips to help them understand the words you are speaking.
• Speak slowly so that the person can understand you better.
• Your tone of voice can help the hearing impaired person to distinguish the words more accurately. Since hearing loss varies to some degree, try to vary your pitch or tone when speaking.
• It has also been suggested to use short sentences. Short sentences are easier for a person with hearing loss to process.
• It is sometimes necessary to rephrase what you say to someone who can't hear well. They may have misunderstood the original phrase, but can put things together if rephrased.
• Changing topics should be accompanied by a signal to the hearing impaired person. Use hand gestures.
• Confirm that the person with hearing loss has understood you by asking if they heard what you said.
• Hearing loss does not mean that the person is stupid. In fact, their intellect is probably still intact.