Communicating effectively with someone who has hearing loss or wears hearing aids involves a
combination of patience, empathy, and understanding. Here are some tips to help improve
communication:
- Face the person directly and maintain eye contact. Your voice will project toward them, and if
they rely on lip reading or visual cues, good visibility will help them understand you better. - Avoid shouting, speaking too quickly, or yelling in one ear. This distorts your speech and makes
it hard for them to understand. - If the person doesn’t understand what you said, rephrase your sentence rather than repeating it
verbatim. This can provide additional context and help them grasp the meaning. - Reduce background noise or move somewhere quieter. Competing noise can make it difficult for
someone with hearing loss to hear you clearly. Turn off noisy appliances or arrange meetings at
quiet cafes at off-peak times. - Use visual aids such as gestures, facial expressions, or written notes to supplement your verbal
communication. - Some people with hearing loss prefer lip reading, while others rely more on hearing aids.
Respect their preferences and ask if there’s anything specific you can do to make communication
easier. - Someone with hearing loss may take a little longer to process and respond to information. Be
patient and give them time to understand and participate fully in the conversation. - Feel free to ask for feedback if you need clarification on whether the person understood you.
They’ll appreciate your effort to ensure clear communication. - Educate yourself. The more you understand, the better equipped you’ll be to communicate
effectively with someone with hearing loss. - Above all, be supportive and understanding. Working together can reduce frustration and
isolation. Your patience and empathy can make a big difference to a person’s experience of life.
Ask your audiologist about tips for communicating. We love helping people to get the most out of
their hearing aids or cochlear implants.
268 Green St, Ulladulla | 4455 6000
6 St George Avenue, Vincentia | 4441 8000
support@jervisbayhearingcentre.com.au
