Tips For Communicating With Individuals Who Have Hearing Loss

[edisonhearing2]

Here are a couple of tips that family and friends might find useful when communicating with an individual who has hearing loss:

If necessary, speak louder, but don't shout.
Speak clearly and slowly.
Speak at a distance of between 3 and 6 feet.
Stand in clear light facing the person with whom you are speaking for greater visibility of lip movements, facial expressions, and gestures.
Do not speak to a person with hearing impairment unless you are visible to him or her (e.g. not from another room or while he or she is reading or watching TV).
Move away from background noise.
If a person with hearing impairment does not appear to understand what is said, rephrase the statement rather than repeat only the misunderstood words.
Do not over-articulate. Exaggerating your pronunciation not only distorts the sound of speech, but also the speaker's face making the use of visual cues more difficult.
Do not cover your mouth with a cigarette or hands and do not chew food while speaking.
Arrange the room (living room or meeting room) where communication will take place so that no speaker or listener is more than six feet apart and all are completely visible; communication for all parties involved will be enhanced.
Include the hearing-impaired person in all discussion about him or her. Individuals with hearing impairment sometimes feel quite vulnerable and left out; this approach will aid in alleviating some of those feelings.
Ask what might make conversation easier.
In meetings or any group activity where a speaker is presenting information (church meetings, civic organizations, etc.) make mandatory that the speaker use the public address system.

[Hask12]

My experience has been that only a rare few will care enough to follows those tips. The general attitude seems to be it's our problem, not theirs

[debin]

My experience has been that only a rare few will care enough to follows those tips. The general attitude seems to be it's our problem, not theirs


agreed ! Even people I work with who have known me for yrs. still don't get it.

[edisonhearing2]

My experience has been that only a rare few will care enough to follows those tips. The general attitude seems to be it's our problem, not theirs

Unfortunately that does continue to be a problem. Hopefully with continued education and awareness individuals will be more willing to follow those tips.

[lisafox]

Useful information which usually people don't notice. :)

[andraalex12]

This is really a nice post, that you have updated us with all of nice information that can be very useful for future aspect.

[Deaf123]

To communicate with me, face me and speak clearly and let me read your lips. If you speak clearly and repeat yourself whenever I request, ill be able to understand over 90% of what you say, even without my HAs.

[pixiedust]

I wish more people were aware of these tips.

[kevels55]

My experience has been that only a rare few will care enough to follows those tips. The general attitude seems to be it's our problem, not theirs

Hask12 you got it in one!!!

When I worked with Deaf Services and every single one of them were educated in comunication tactics for hearing impaired, the above from "edisonhearing2" was drummed into them, they could all use sign language! But here is the rub,, at most staff meetings around 15/20 of us, maybe 4 of us would have some form of hearing loss, the chair would remind everyone of our problem and please speak one at a time, it would be fine for say five minutes and then it would decend into chaos to what can only be discribed from my hearing point as a "Gaggle of Geese", order would be called for, again the meeting would return to a more sadate pace only to transcend back to the gaggle, tout suite!!!.............. Tis human nature to want to be heard and most folk don't care as long as the majority hear their viewpoint! If you can't keep order at a meeting where support workers who are fully trained to work with HOH and Profoundly Deaf, then there is little hope of educating the rest:rolleyes:

Cheers Kev:)

[Ami]

Hi Guys

I'm conducting a little market research for the latest brief I am working on which looks at the relationship and conflicts between glasses and hearing aids. If you could spare a few minutes to fill out my questionnaire I would very much appreciate it.

Follow the link below:
http://www.impressity.com/Survey/sl.aspx?SurveyLinkId=bkkfyudmlopihndjrcxj

Many Thanks

Ami
xxx

[CryMeARiver]

I agree on this one. It is a very rare person that will routinely follow these tips. I often think these people (the top followers) possess some sort of special trait that others do not. This is just reality and we have to adjust our expectations. I certainly would have a mild to moderated hearing loss if everyone followed these tips with me :rolleyes: