Hearing is, in the words of Helen Keller, a vital stimulus that brings with it “the sound of the voice that brings language, sets thoughts astir, and keeps us in the intellectual company of man.”

It’s no new news that hearing loss can cause sufferers to withdraw socially. A person’s hearing may still be impaired, even with hearing aids.

If you have a loved one with hearing loss you may well have experienced the fall out of communication breakdown. It’s completely human to feel exasperated, even if you’re totally aware and sympathetic of your loved one’s frustrations, but there are tactics you can employ to bridge the communication divide:

• Don’t shout, whatever you do. Raising your voice distorts the sound of speech, making things much worse. Speak slowly and clearly, but naturally.
• Position yourself directly in front of your hearing impaired loved one. Make sure your face is well lit, and that light is not in the listener’s eyes.
• Don’t talk from another room. Any listener needs to be able to see your face, expressions and mouth.  This is a fundamental in good communication.
• Move away from intense background noise before trying to communicate. Some things are louder than you think, like the kettle boiling.
• Introduce the topic of conversation to the listener, particularly when others are involved.  It’s hard to suddenly jump into a topic cold.  Our brain uses context to understand speech.
• Write down important information for them – like directions, addresses and times; and
• Have the listener repeat key specifics back to you, where possible.
• Watch the listener’s expressions. Be sensitive to looks that may signal confusion.
• Ask leading questions so you know your message was delivered correctly.
• If your loved one is getting help with his or her hearing – go along to a session.
• Don’t talk too quickly.  It helps people understand speech if it’s at a steady rate – pretend you’re a news reader.

If you’d like more insight into your loved one’s condition, apps like ‘Play It Down’ simulate age-related hearing loss by playing music files as they would be heard by someone with hearing loss.

By the way – these are good communication tips for life – do this all the time.