It takes practice, time, and patience for your brain to adapt to the new sounds your hearing aids provide. Hearing is only part of how we share thoughts, ideas, and feelings — reading lips, facial expressions, and gestures can help the process and add to what amplification alone may miss.
Tips for you
- Move closer to and look at the speaker.
- Sit face-to-face in a quiet room if possible.
- Try different locations to find the optimal places to listen.
- Minimize distractions.
- Background noises may be frustrating at first — remember, you haven't heard them for a while.
- Let others know what you need; keep in mind that people cannot "see" your hearing loss.
- Develop realistic expectations of what your hearing aids can and cannot do.
Better hearing with hearing aids is a learned skill combining desire, practice, and patience. You will learn and adjust — it just takes a little time. Be patient with yourself.
For your family and friends
Your family and friends are affected by your hearing loss too. It can help to ask that they:
- Get your full attention before beginning to speak.
- Look at you or sit face-to-face.
- Speak clearly and at a normal rate and level — shouting can actually make understanding more difficult.
- Rephrase rather than repeat the same words; different words may be easier to understand.
- Minimize distractions while speaking.
Need more help? Contact Ceretone Support at (866) 283-4262, support@ceretone.com, or visit the support center.
