For relatives

A hearing loss often develops slowly and it can take a long time before someone with a hearing loss decides to actually get a hearing aid. This can have an effect, not only on themselves, but also on their relatives.
 

Hearing aids cannot restore hearing completely

People who have no previous experience with hearing loss or hearing aids commonly believe that hearing aids can restore hearing completely. Unfortunately this is an exaggeration.

The main reason for this is that the most typical cause of hearing loss is damage in the inner ear. While a hearing aid is fitted for a specific hearing loss, damage in the inner ear can still distort the information sent to the brain.
 

Remember the benefits of the hearing aid

It is not unusual to be frustrated with the affects of a hearing loss on everyday conversation, from time to time. Recognising that a hearing aid does not help in all situations can be difficult and it is understandable that some people sometimes feel disappointed. In this situation, try to focus on the many situations where a hearing aid is actually of great help.

Simple awareness of a person’s hearing loss, among friends and relatives, goes a long way in helping overcome these difficulties.