Helping a Loved One Find an Audiologist

Hearing loss can affect anyone at any time, but the majority of people that suffer from hearing loss don’t realize it’s impacting them. If someone you love has begun to show symptoms of hearing loss, it’s important to get them the help they need. If your loved one needs to see an audiologist, but also wants encouragement from you to get help, here are some important things to consider.

Show compassion

Admitting there may be something wrong with your health can be a scary and overwhelming experience. Sometimes health scares are masked by those suffering from them and it can take a while for other people to realize there may be a problem and step in for an intervention. Other times it may take a while for the person affected to realize that there is, in fact, a problem. Whatever the case may be, dealing with a health issue like hearing loss means coming to terms with a new normal. Remember that your timeline and your loved one’s timeline may differ, but if you work together, you can both remain on the same page.

Compatibility is key

Unless you live in a very small town, chances are there will be more than one audiologist available in your area. Try your best to do research about them. Ask for referrals and if possible, schedule a meet and greet to ensure your audiologist is the best possible person for your loved one. If, after some initial research, you think that the audiologist and your loved one are not compatible, don’t hesitate to find a new professional. After all, hearing loss is often a long-term ailment; you want to start with the best possible relationship with the audiologist, as they’ll be in your lives for a long time.

Keep your loved one involved

Even if you are the primary person who will be making appointments and organizing treatment schedules, try to make sure that your loved one has a say in the decisions. Keep them informed and ask for their opinion on things. It is their health, after all. If you are accompanying your loved one to their audiologist appointments, make sure that the audiologist directs their speech to your loved one and not you. It’s not your health that is affected, it’s your loved one’s and their dignity is paramount.

Select an audiologist with previous experience

If your loved one is older and needs to see an audiologist, make sure that the professional has prior experience with older patients. Just as children benefit from certain medical professionals for the best quality of care, so do people that are older. If you’re not sure about the audiologist’s prior experience, feel free to call the clinic and ask. They can give you a history of the audiologist, an idea of who their typical clientele is, and answer any questions you might have about the process. Audiologists should have great customer service and by talking beforehand with the clinic’s administrates, you can get a good understanding of what to expect with future dealings.