Hearing Loss Hearing Loss and and Relationships Relationships - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Hearing Loss Hearing Loss

and and

Relationships Relationships

Shanna Shanna Groves and Melissa Frye Groves and Melissa Frye

Hearing Loss and Relationships Hearing Loss and Relationships

Approximately 17 percent (36 million) of Approximately 17 percent (36 million) of American adults report some degree of American adults report some degree of hearing loss. hearing loss.

• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Hearing Loss Statistics Hearing Loss Statistics

• Men are more likely to experience hearing loss than women.

Men are more likely to experience hearing loss than women.

• Of adults ages 65 and older in the United States, 12.3 percent o

Of adults ages 65 and older in the United States, 12.3 percent of men and nearly 14 f men and nearly 14 percent of women are affected by tinnitus. Tinnitus is identifie percent of women are affected by tinnitus. Tinnitus is identified more frequently in white d more frequently in white individuals and the prevalence of tinnitus is almost twice as fr individuals and the prevalence of tinnitus is almost twice as frequent in the South as in the equent in the South as in the Northeast. Northeast.

• There is a strong relationship between age and reported hearing

There is a strong relationship between age and reported hearing loss: 18 percent of loss: 18 percent of American adults 45 American adults 45-

• 64 years old, 30 percent of adults 65

64 years old, 30 percent of adults 65-

• 74 years old, and 47 percent of

74 years old, and 47 percent of adults 75 years old or older have a hearing impairment. adults 75 years old or older have a hearing impairment.

• About 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States ar

About 2 to 3 out of every 1,000 children in the United States are born deaf or hard e born deaf or hard-

• of
• f-
• hearing.
• hearing. Nine out of every 10 children who are born deaf are born to pare

Nine out of every 10 children who are born deaf are born to parents who can nts who can hear. hear.

• The NIDCD estimates that approximately 15 percent (26 million) o

The NIDCD estimates that approximately 15 percent (26 million) of Americans between the f Americans between the ages of 20 and 69 have high frequency hearing loss due to exposu ages of 20 and 69 have high frequency hearing loss due to exposure to loud sounds or re to loud sounds or noise at work or in leisure activities. noise at work or in leisure activities.

• Only 1 out of 5 people who could benefit from a hearing aid actu

Only 1 out of 5 people who could benefit from a hearing aid actually wears one. ally wears one.

• National I nstitute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

National I nstitute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Faces of Hearing Loss Faces of Hearing Loss

Source: Google I mages

Faces of Hearing Loss Faces of Hearing Loss

Source: Google I mages

Faces of Hearing Loss Faces of Hearing Loss

Source: Google I mages

Faces of Hearing Loss Faces of Hearing Loss

Source: Google I mages

Faces of Hearing Loss Faces of Hearing Loss

Source: Google I mages

Faces of Hearing Loss Faces of Hearing Loss

Source: Google I mages

Faces of Hearing Loss Faces of Hearing Loss

Source: Google I mages

Faces of Hearing Loss Faces of Hearing Loss

Source: Google I mages

Faces of Hearing Loss Faces of Hearing Loss

Source: National I nstitute on Deafness and Other Communication D Source: National I nstitute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders isorders

Characteristics of the Hearing Loss Population Characteristics of the Hearing Loss Population

• A shared communication style. Many speak orally, and some use sign language. Lip

reading (also known as speechreading) is also a common way to understand one another.

• A strong reliance on technology. Hearing aids, cochlear implants and assistive listening

devices are available to help the hearing loss population understand speech and hear important sounds.

• A strong reliance on closed captioning. Captions assist with understanding television,

movies, and (when available) live presentations. This could also fall under the technology category.

• Emotional connection. This would include not always feeling connected with the hearing

world because of difficulty understanding speech. For those not comfortable with sign language, they may not feel part of the Deaf culture. Emotionally, individuals with hearing loss might feel somewhat isolated from the hearing and/or Deaf "worlds."

Source: http:/ / shannagroves.blogspot.com

Hearing Loss and Relationships: Hearing Loss and Relationships: Communication Communication

Three things people with hearing loss need in order to Three things people with hearing loss need in order to communicate effectively with loved ones: communicate effectively with loved ones:

• Confidence

Confidence –

– acceptance of hearing loss acceptance of hearing loss

• Boldness

Boldness –

– ability to request needs ability to request needs

• Patience

Patience –

– allowing others time to understand you allowing others time to understand you

Myths Our Loved Ones May Have About Myths Our Loved Ones May Have About Hearing Loss Hearing Loss

Myth # 1 Myth # 1: Hearing aids and cochlear implants cure

: Hearing aids and cochlear implants cure hearing loss. hearing loss.

I nstead, tell them: I nstead, tell them: Hearing aids and cochlear implants

Hearing aids and cochlear implants help improve hearing, but they don help improve hearing, but they don’ ’t restore lost t restore lost hearing. hearing.

Myths Our Loved Ones May Have About Myths Our Loved Ones May Have About Hearing Loss Hearing Loss

• Myth # 2

Myth # 2: People with hearing loss can

: People with hearing loss can’ ’t enjoy music, t enjoy music, phone conversations or live entertainment. phone conversations or live entertainment.

• I nstead, tell them:

I nstead, tell them: Because of CART, captioned

Because of CART, captioned phones and interpreters, a person doesn phones and interpreters, a person doesn’ ’t have to t have to hear perfectly to enjoy sound. hear perfectly to enjoy sound.

Myths Our Loved Ones May Have About Myths Our Loved Ones May Have About Hearing Loss Hearing Loss

• Myth # 3

Myth # 3: In order to communicate with someone

: In order to communicate with someone who can who can’ ’t hear well or at all, sign language is a must. t hear well or at all, sign language is a must.

• I nstead, tell them:

I nstead, tell them: If used regularly, sign language

If used regularly, sign language can help with communication. Many hard of hearing can help with communication. Many hard of hearing people may not know how to sign or been given the people may not know how to sign or been given the

• pportunity to practice using it.
• pportunity to practice using it.

Source: Jennifer Ross Source: Jennifer Ross

• Myth # 4

Myth # 4: It

: It’ ’s hard to communicate with the hard of s hard to communicate with the hard of hearing, so why try? hearing, so why try?

• I nstead, tell them:

I nstead, tell them: The GATS Code

The GATS Code… …

G G -

• Gently get my attention before you begin talking.

Gently get my attention before you begin talking.

A A -

• Always face me while you speak so I can read your lips.

Always face me while you speak so I can read your lips.

T T -

• Talk to me in a quiet room where it is easier for me to hear.

Talk to me in a quiet room where it is easier for me to hear.

S S -

• Speak slowly and with good enunciation.

Speak slowly and with good enunciation.

Myths Our Loved Ones May Have About Myths Our Loved Ones May Have About Hearing Loss Hearing Loss

Source: Google I mages Source: Google I mages

Myths Our Loved Ones May Have About Myths Our Loved Ones May Have About Hearing Loss Hearing Loss

• Myth # 5

Myth # 5: You

: You’ ’re not really hard of hearing. You re not really hard of hearing. You’ ’re re just tuning me out. just tuning me out.

• I nstead, tell them:

I nstead, tell them: Try an experiment. Place two

Try an experiment. Place two cotton balls in each ear, go into a noisy room, and try cotton balls in each ear, go into a noisy room, and try to listen to a conversation with a person standing 20 to listen to a conversation with a person standing 20 feet away and with his face turned away. Difficult, feet away and with his face turned away. Difficult, huh? Welcome to my world! huh? Welcome to my world!

Hearing Loss and Relationships: Hearing Loss and Relationships: Through An Attachment Lens Through An Attachment Lens

Our family Our family’ ’s story: s story:

• Discovering the loss

Discovering the loss

• Grieving the loss

Grieving the loss

• Moving through the grief

Moving through the grief

• Discovering what life looks like now

Discovering what life looks like now

The role of healthy attachments The role of healthy attachments

For a loved one with hearing loss: For a loved one with hearing loss:

• Creating a

Creating a “ “safe safe-

• haven

haven” ”

• Showing empathy instead of projecting fear

Showing empathy instead of projecting fear

For yourself: For yourself:

• Investing in

Investing in “ “safe safe-

• haven

haven” ” relationships that restore your relationships that restore your spirit spirit * spouse, friends, faith communities * spouse, friends, faith communities

• Establishing practices that foster physical and spiritual

Establishing practices that foster physical and spiritual health health

The role of healthy attachments The role of healthy attachments