Family Communication Strategies
Communication is an interaction between two or more people. When one person develops hearing loss, we often say that it’s the entire family or entourage that now has a communication problem.
Here are a few communication strategies to provide guidance and help you communicate better. We suggest gradually working them into your daily life!
For the person with hearing loss
- Choose a place that is ideal for conversation (quiet, well-lit, no background noise).
- Get close to the person you’re speaking with (avoid trying to talk from another room) and speak face to face.
- Ask the person to repeat when necessary. Don’t pretend you understood!
- Check that the information you heard was correct and ask the person to clarify or reword so the message is repeated.
- Make sure your request for repetition or rewording is clear; avoid saying “huh?” or “what?”.
- Tell people about your hearing loss.
- Wear your hearing aids (if applicable).
For friends and family
- Avoid negative comments and confrontations about the person’s hearing (e.g. “You only hear when you want to!”).
- Express yourself clearly; do not shout.
- Make sure the person is understanding: “Are you following?”
- Look right at the person when speaking (avoid turning around).
- Ask the person what they need to understand better.
- Create the best environment possible for conversation.
For both
- Take turns speaking and participate actively in the conversation.
- Talk face to face in a calm
- Make sure everyone in the conversation knows the subject of discussion.
