Hearing aids are designed to amplify sound. All surrounding sounds, including “nuisance noise” is amplified at the same level. The sound of conversation; the sound of a glass falling and shattering to the floor; the sound of sirens going by; the sound of a child calling out; the voice of a grocery clerk or waitress, in front of you, to the left of you, to the right of you, behind you; the sound of an overhead PA system calling for clean-up in aisle nine; the sound of music coming from an overhead speaker. It all becomes amplified, and is considered very loud “background noise” that has melded together.

Imagine three talkers a few feet away from you all talking at the same time. Imagine yourself talking on the phone with someone else in the room shouting something to you at the same time. Can you imagine how intolerable it would be to live your life like that? Can you imagine seeing double? How about “hearing” double? Or triple? Or quadruple? Is it any wonder that they couldn’t hear you? Didn’t understand what you said? Answered wrong? Or simply requested to be in a quieter place? If you are a clerk and didn’t get a response to your friendly “greeting and small talk” you’re not being ignored, you simply weren’t heard.

Restaurants are particularly troublesome. A lot of restaurants seem unaware of the need to provide an area that is relatively free of noise and overhead music. When we call ahead, or upon entering, we always ask if there is a quiet area where we can be seated away from the busiest tables, and in particular away from speakers. Some places find ways to help, while others are surprised that this is a problem.

Unfortunately a frequent reaction from a normal hearing person is to stop talking to someone that is hard of hearing. They would rather turn away and talk to someone who can hear them. My mother’s hearing aid provider pointed out to me that it’s easy to blame the hearing impaired person for not hearing, but half of the blame belongs to you for not making yourself heard.

Another response is “the hearing aids are useless.” “Why buy them or wear them if you still can’t hear?” Besides this being wrong and inappropriate, it is rude and callous. The hearing devices are working. Unfortunately the ear isn’t.

Here’s a tip: talk directly to the person. Don’t face a different direction or look away from the hearing impaired.And speak up. You do not need to shout, but you do need to speak up.

Lastly, I’ve seen people fade away, stop visiting, stop calling and stop extending an invitation because it’s just too much of a struggle. Yes it is a struggle, and sometimes frustrating. But to stop communicating with a friend or loved one is not an option. A hearing disability is every bit as crippling as any other disability. They endure lack of hearing, lack of audibility, “background noise” that is just as loud as the person to whom they are speaking. Now who do you think has the right to say, “It’s a struggle?”

http://www.bclocalnews.com/okanagan_similkameen/vernonmorningstar/lifestyles/43002652.html