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If you are communicating with someone who has a hearing loss it’s important to be patient make sure you are communicating properly. We’ve put together some simple tips to help make communication more straightforward for both of you.

  • If someone is wearing hearing aids it doesn’t necessarily mean that they can hear you perfectly, so it’s always a good idea to ask them if they need to lip-read.
  • Find a suitable place to talk, with good lighting and away from noise and distractions.
  • Before you start speaking, get the listener’s attention – maybe by waving or tapping them gently on the arm.
  • Always to and ensure that you have face-to-face contact with the person you are talking to and use natural facial expressions and gestures when speaking to them.
  • Try to speak as clearly as possible but not too slowly. Try not to cover your mouth with your hands and don’t exaggerate your lip movements as this can make it harder to lip-read.
  • Don’t shout! It can be uncomfortable for hearing aid users and it may look aggressive.
  • If someone doesn’t understand what you’ve said, don’t keep repeating it. Try saying it in a different way instead.
  • If you are in a noisy environment, make sure that any unnecessary noises are minimised, e.g. washing machines, cookers, kettles and fans and background music.
  • Check that the person you’re talking to is following you during the conversation. Use plain language and don’t waffle. Try to avoid jargon or unfamiliar abbreviations.

We hope you find these tips and suggestion useful. If you require further advice please email info@kenthearing.com or call us on 07950 816321 / 07973 187744