Help, Grandma has hearing loss and it's difficult communicating with her especially when you have to strain your voice and shout at the top of your voice before she would get what you are saying. This made me go into research to know why it is so, especially in older people because I have noticed this among older people.
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Some health conditions in older people can also contribute to hearing loss. Health conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
I remembered when my sister mentioned that Grandma has had diabetes for many years and she is doing fine and staying healthy. Going into research, I knew the diabetes she has contributed to her not being able to hear clearly as before.
Approximately, one in three people between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss.
NIH
Grandma is over 90 years old already and she is doing fine despite having diabetes, but the only problem now is her loss in hearing which made it hard for us to communicate with her.
Older people who tend to have hearing loss may become depressed or may withdraw from others because they feel sad and frustrated about not understanding what they are saying. I don't think she is depressed because many times, she is seen sleeping and would most times, come to the sitting room to receive fresh air and I could notice she wants to keep talking but we just have to stay with her and communicate in a way she would get what we are saying.
SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS
SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS
With these signs of hearing loss, they are what we have seen and observed in her.
Older people who have hearing loss have trouble heading over the telephone. When Grandma is on a call, we would stand by her because she wouldn't hear from the other end even if she placed the phone on high volume. We are the ones to repeat everything being said from the other person to her. This of course would be difficult because we all have our busy moments and we can't keep staying with her and leaving other work undone.
Many times, she won't pick her calls except when we are around and if she wants to call anyone, she would want us to be present so we can repeat everything. I have always been frustrated on phone when talking to her and would have someone speak on her behalf while they relate with her later.
They find it hard to follow conversations when two or more people are talking. This is another hardest part of Grandma as she is always lonely when two or more people are gathered and not hearing them is a problem to her. She prefers those people speaking louder.
Often ask people to repeat what they are saying. I have to repeat words over and over and over again just for grandma to get what I am saying. In fact, when I want to speak to her, I face her, and with expressions, communicate with her.
TYPES OF HEARING LOSS IN OLDER PEOPLE
There are two types of hearing loss present in older people and they are;
SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS:
This type of hearing loss occurs when the inner ear or auditory nerve is damaged and it is usually a permanent hearing loss.
CONDUCTIVE HEARING LOSS:
This occurs when the sound waves cannot get to the inner ear and this can be due to punctured eardrum, earwax buildup and fluid. Though medical treatment can solve the conductive hearing loss.
When a hearing problem is not treated or is being ignored, it may get worse. I don't think grandma is treating hers because she only takes medication for her diabetes so she can stay healthy.
PRESBYCUSIS
PRESBYCUSIS
Presbycusis or Age- related hearing loss occurs gradually as a person gets older and it occurs because of the changes in the inner ear and auditory nerve.
I believe this is what she is experiencing as she finds it hard to tolerate loud sounds or hear what others are saying. Presbycusis affects both ears equally and an old person may not admit he or she has hearing loss.
There are ways to cope with an old person experiencing hearing loss which has been working effectively for grandma as we have taken it upon ourselves to do what we need to do so we can keep communicating with her so she doesn't get depressed, leading to another health problem.
β Let people know you have a hearing problem. When a person is talking to her, she would quickly make them aware of her problem so they would know how to relate with her.
β Ask people to face you and speak slowly, clearly and louder but not shouting. We don't talk to her at her back so we can save ourselves from hurting our voices. She would even tell us to face her while we speak slowly so she would get whatever we are communicating across to her.
β Pay attention to what you are hearing especially with facial expressions or gestures. People like this should be communicated with expressions. They quickly understand when you make gestures too.
β Then make such person know you do not understand what you are saying so they can repeat every words again.
Thanks for reading