Often the people closest to someone notice the change first. Here’s how to help while respecting their independence.
AT A GLANCE
- What Supporting a Parent with Hearing Loss Can Look Like
- Asking What Helps
- Small Habits That Keep Conversations Flowing
- Helping Without Speaking for Them
- At Medical Appointments
- At Family Gatherings
- On the Phone
- Taking Care of Yourself Too
Supporting a parent with hearing loss often starts with something small. Maybe you’ve noticed your mom laughing a beat after everyone else at dinner, or your dad answering a slightly different question than the one you asked. Moments like these can catch you off guard, and your first instinct may be to jump in and help.
That instinct comes from a good place. At the same time, it can be hard to know how much to step in without making your parent feel less independent. A few simple habits can make conversations easier while keeping your parent at the center of them. Here are some ideas for helping in ways that feel natural and respectful.
What Supporting a Parent with Hearing Loss Can Look Like
Hearing loss often develops slowly, so many people adjust without realizing how much they’re missing. Following conversations can take more effort, especially in noisy rooms or when several people are talking at once. That extra effort can be tiring, and some people start to pull back from conversations they used to enjoy.
Support means making it easier for your parent to take part on their own terms. Small changes in how you talk, where you sit, and how you share information make it easier for your parent to stay involved and confident. Rephrasing what you said often works better than just repeating something louder.
Asking What Helps
One of the most helpful things you can do is ask your parent what works for them. A calm, one-on-one moment, without an audience or background noise, is often the best time to bring it up. You might say something like, “I noticed the restaurant last week was really loud. Is there anything I can do at family get-togethers that would make things easier?”
Your parent may already have strategies of their own. They might prefer that people face them when talking, or that someone rephrase a sentence instead of repeating it. Asking also lets your parent know you’re on their side, which can make it easier for them to speak up in the future.
Small Habits That Keep Conversations Flowing
Everyday habits often matter most when it comes to how easily your parent follows along. MedlinePlus offers helpful tips for talking to someone with hearing loss, and many of them fit easily into family life:
- Facing your parent when you talk, in a well-lit spot where they can see your face
- Turning down the TV or music during conversations
- Letting your parent know when the topic changes
- Using their name or tapping them on the shoulder before you start speaking to them
- Rephrasing a sentence with different words if they didn’t catch it the first time
With a little practice, most families find these habits become second nature quickly.
Helping Without Speaking for Them
When your parent misses something, it can be tempting to answer for them or say, “Oh, it wasn’t important.” Over time, that can leave your parent feeling sidelined. Instead, a quick recap lets them jump back into the conversation. Something as simple as “We’re talking about Jenna’s new job” gives them the context they need without putting them on the spot.
Some families agree on a small private signal, like a light tap on the arm, that means “Can you fill me in?” It lets your parent decide when they’d like help, which keeps them in control.
At Medical Appointments
Appointments are where details matter most, and where it can be most tempting to take over. If you go along, it may help to sit where your parent can see both you and the provider. Letting your parent answer questions first, and stepping in only if they look to you or something seems unclear, helps them stay in charge of their own care.
Writing down questions ahead of time can also help, along with taking notes during the visit so you can go over them together afterward.
At Family Gatherings
Group conversations are often the hardest to follow. One way to help is offering your parent a seat away from the kitchen noise or the TV, with good lighting on people’s faces. Encouraging everyone to take turns talking, rather than talking over each other, helps the whole table follow along.
You may want to consider having your parent to step away for a quieter conversation. Smaller side conversations can be easier to follow and just as enjoyable.
On the Phone
Phone calls can be especially hard because there are no faces or gestures to help fill in the gaps. Instead of offering to make calls for your parent, you might look into tools that let them keep making their own. With a CapTel captioned telephone, the other person’s words appear on a screen during the call, so your parent has a backup when a word or detail gets lost.
Our post on types of hearing loss and how they affect phone communication explains why phone calls can be harder than in-person conversations.
Taking Care of Yourself Too
Supporting a parent with hearing loss takes patience, and it can feel frustrating sometimes. If a conversation doesn’t go the way you hoped, it’s okay to let it go and try again another day.
It can also help to notice the small wins, like a dinner where your parent told a story from start to finish or a phone call they handled on their own. Those moments are a good sign that what you’re doing is helping.
Take the next step:
- Learn how a CapTel captioned telephone can help your parent keep making and taking their own calls
- Find out which CapTel phone model might be the best fit for you or someone you care about
- See if you or someone you care about may be eligible to receive a CapTel phone at no cost
- For questions or to learn more, call CapTel at 1-800-233-9130
Keep exploring: More on following conversation at fall gatherings | Visit the CapTel blog | Share this article with a friend
CapTel® is the inventor and technology leader in Captioned Telephones for people with hearing loss. CapTel phones show word-for-word captions of everything a caller says, helping those with hearing loss stay connected with the important people in their lives.
