If you have hearing loss and are currently dating, you may be nervous about how it will impact your ability to form new relationships or meet a future partner. Thankfully,
Five Tips for Dating With Hearing Loss
- Wear your hearing aids. Hearing aids make it easier for your brain to process speech and communicate with others. Since communication is essential to forming new connections with others, wearing your hearing aids while out on a date is the best way to make sure your hearing loss doesn’t hold you back from meeting new people.
- Choose your location wisely. When suggesting spots for potential dates, consider how easy it will be to hear at that location. Even with hearing aids or other assistive listening devices, a crowded bar or loud sporting event might not be the easiest place to have a quality conversation. Instead, opt for quieter Omaha cafés or coffee shops or even a picnic for two at Walnut Grove Park.
- Be open about your hearing loss. You may feel slightly embarrassed talking about your hearing loss, but there is no need! First of all, hearing loss is incredibly common. Research shows that 13% of people in the United States 12 years or older has hearing loss in both ears. Secondly, being honest about why quieter venues are better or why you might need them to repeat themselves sometimes will make it less stressful for both of you to communicate effectively.
- Discuss communication strategies. Telling them about your hearing loss also offers you an opportunity to let them know about effective communication strategies that make it easier for you to hear, like making sure they are facing you and not covering their mouths when you are having a conversation.
- Use closed captioning on movie nights. Watching TV can be harder with hearing loss but using features like closed captioning can help ensure you are able to follow along without having to turn the volume up to levels that may be uncomfortably loud for your date. Additionally, if your hearing aids are equipped with Bluetooth®, you may be able to stream the audio directly into your hearing aids!
How To Know if You Have Hearing Loss?
Unsure whether or not you have a problem with your hearing? That’s not uncommon. Because hearing loss often comes on gradually, many people can go years without realizing there’s an issue. However, if you notice that you’re asking people to repeat themselves more frequently or that you’re turning up the volume on the TV or radio louder than you used to, don’t just shrug it off. These could be early signs of hearing loss.
It’s always better to catch any hearing issues early, so if you have any doubts, schedule an appointment for a hearing test. If your results reveal that you have hearing loss, your audiologist will work with you to find the right pair of hearing aids and help keep you connected to the world around you.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Ear Specialists of Omaha & Bellevue today.