Submitted by Dr. Melissa Palmer, Clayton Audiology
As social beings, communication is a vital part of our lives. Despite a lifetime of practice, even individuals with normal hearing encounter frustrating and isolating moments of communication breakdown.
For the approximately 15 percent of American adults who report some trouble hearing, these moments are multiplied as they try to make up for the sounds that are not picked up audibly by the ears or interpreted accurately by the brain. Persistent demand for extra listening effort in conversations can lead to fatigue, discouragement or even social withdrawal. Fortunately, there are strategies that you can use to improve communication.
Tips for the Speaker
- Confirm that you have an attentive audience. Using someone’s name prior to addressing them and waiting for assurance that they are ready for you to begin speaking can save you from repeating yourself.
- Minimize distractions. Once you have someone’s attention, it may be helpful to minimize background noise. Turn down the things you can (like TV or radio) or step away from the things you can’t (find a quieter area).
- Speak clearly. It’s common to talk with your face turned while multitasking, speak quickly when you’re excited or mumble when you’re tired. Facing the person that you are speaking with, slowing down and enunciating can improve reception of your message.
- Rephrase don’t repeat. If someone is unclear about what you said, find a new way to express the sentiment rather than saying it again the same way. When the word is specific, add an example or definition to provide context. There are a variety of ways to communicate the same message, embrace it as an opportunity to be creative.
Tips for the Listener
- Close the gap. A lot of information is conveyed through facial cues, so be sure to look at the person talking to you. The ideal listening situation is face-to-face communication within 3-6 feet.
- Set the stage. Ensure good lighting and smaller crowds when you are having conversations in person. If you are talking over the phone adjust your volume accordingly and consider a video call to leverage facial cues once again.
- Get background information. Identifying the topic of conversations ahead of time helps your brain to hold on to the thread of a discussion and makes it more likely that you can fill in the gaps of a small breakdown appropriately. If available, make use of written aids like menus in restaurants, agendas in meetings and programs at performances.
- Don’t fake it. Sometimes you will miss what is said, either due to unideal listening circumstances or simply a wandering mind. There is no shame in asking someone to repeat themselves, in fact it is a sign that you care about what they have to say. Asking a clarifying question, like “Did you say …?” is often better received than a one-word “What?” or “Huh?”
What if these tips are not enough?
For some, even with consistent practice of the above tips, they may still struggle to understand others. In this case, a comprehensive hearing evaluation is strongly recommended.
Being proactive and scheduling a hearing evaluation appointment to discuss your hearing concerns and potential treatment options with a hearing care professional is an investment in you, your communication with others and your overall quality of life.
Article sponsored by Clayton Audiology. For more information, visit claytonaudiology.com.
