Thanksgiving is a cherished time for family gatherings, filled with merriment, stories, and sentiments of gratitude. It also offers a perfect caring atmosphere to address essential health concerns, including hearing loss. Thanksgiving is a holiday when family gathers together, making it the perfect time to broach the topic of hearing loss with loved ones who might be dealing with it and encourage them to find solutions.
Planning a conversation to support your loved one
Creating a welcoming environment for someone with hearing loss can make a big difference during a family get-together. The following are a few suggestions to help everyone feel comfortable, especially family members who are coping with hearing loss:
- Minimize Background Noise: Try to keep background noise, including music, at a lower volume. It will be easier to have a focused conversation with your family member without the distraction of loud background noise. Think about turning off the TV or other audio devices that may add to the noise.
- Notify Family Members in Advance: Let other family members know that you plan to talk about the subject of hearing loss. This way, it won’t seem like an ambush to your loved one, and everyone can be prepared to make contributions in a positive way. When the whole family is aware and involved, the discussion is less likely to seem like criticism from a single person and more like a collective show of support.
- Thoughtful Seating Arrangements: Your loved one will feel more involved in conversations if you seat them near the center of the table. If you seat them at the end of the table, they will lose out on conversations taking place a little further away.
Delicately broaching the discussion
Mentioning hearing loss can be sensitive, and it’s important to approach it with compassion. Thanksgiving is a time when families gather and show support for one another and give thanks, making it the perfect setting for this discussion. The following are some guidelines about how to approach this conversation:
- Offer Immediate Tips for Better Communication: Recommend simple changes that can help in the short term. Urge your loved one to ask others to speak more slowly or clearly if they’re having trouble understanding. Remind them that when they are in loud settings, it’s okay to ask people to repeat themselves. These strategies can help them feel more included and less frustrated during gatherings.
- Address the Issue with Empathy: Inform your loved one that it seems like they might be having difficulty hearing and that you’re concerned for their well-being. Frame the conversation around improving their quality of life instead of focusing on the problem itself. For example, you may say, “I’ve noticed it’s been a little more difficult for you to follow with conversations recently, and I want to make sure you can really enjoy our family gatherings”.
- Convey Gratitude and Care: The first thing to do is to let your loved one know that they mean a lot to you. Talk about how lucky you feel to have them as a part of your life. This allows your loved one to know that you care about, and are worried about their well-being, setting a positive tone from the start.
Discussing long-term solutions
After you put your loved one at ease by letting them know how much you care about them, it’s time to delicately initiate the idea of long-term solutions.
- Reassure Ongoing Family Support: Make sure they know that they won’t have to deal with any of the process alone. Let them know that the family is there to comfort them through the entire process, from scheduling appointments to adjusting to new hearing aids if needed. Reinforce that taking this step is about enhancing their general quality of life and enjoying more experiences together.
- Propose a Hearing Test: Advocate for your loved one to schedule a hearing exam as the next thing they should do. Offer to help set up the appointment or go with them for support. Talk about the importance of getting their hearing tested in order to determine the state of their hearing health.
- Introduce the Idea of Hearing Aids: If the conversation is going well, you might bring up potential solutions including hearing aids. Help them realize that hearing aids are discreet and will better their quality of life by enhancing their ability to participate in conversations and engage in social connections. You can say something like, “There are so many fantastic options now that could help you hear better and make it easier to join in the conversations”.
Families supporting each other is the real spirit of Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is about coming together and showing our love and appreciation for each other. Addressing a loved one’s hearing loss during this time can be a meaningful way to offer support and help them reconnect with the happiness of family get-togethers. Don’t fail to make the most of this loving and supportive environment to have a heartfelt conversation about your loved one’s hearing loss.
Future holiday gatherings will be that much more enjoyable and memorable after you have successfully encouraged your loved one to take this important first step. Help them feel more included and less separated with your encouraging care and compassion.
This Thanksgiving, take a moment to have this worthwhile conversation. It’s an act of love that could improve their experience not only during the holiday season, but throughout the entire year.
