Why You Should Bring a Loved One to Your Hearing Test
A hearing test gives you a better understanding of how well you’re hearing, but your hearing test results are only part of the picture. How you hear in everyday life matters too!
This is why we recommend bringing a partner, family member, or close friend with you to your hearing test when possible. Someone who spends a lot of time with you may have noticed changes in your hearing that you haven’t noticed yourself, especially when those changes have happened gradually.
Having someone familiar with you can also be helpful later in the appointment. After your hearing assessment, your clinician may demonstrate what hearing aids could sound like based on your hearing needs. Having someone you know there gives you an opportunity to experience that change while listening to a familiar voice.
They can also share what they’ve noticed, help you remember questions, and better understand your hearing test results and any recommendations your clinician makes. In this article we’ll look at why bringing a loved one to a hearing test can be helpful, what they can share with your clinician, and how they can support you when exploring hearing aids.
Key Takeaways
- Hearing loss can develop gradually, making changes difficult to notice yourself.
- A loved one may notice changes in your hearing or communication before you do.
- They can give your clinician examples of situations where you’ve been having difficulty hearing.
- Bringing someone can make it easier to remember questions and information discussed during your appointment.
- Your loved one can be there when your clinician demonstrates hearing aids, giving you the opportunity to hear a familiar voice with the devices.
- A partner or family member can learn more about your hearing and how to communicate more effectively with you.
- You can attend a hearing test on your own, but bringing someone you trust is recommended when possible.
Why Should You Bring Someone to a Hearing Test?
When hearing changes happen slowly, it’s easy to adjust without realizing how much your hearing has changed. You might turn the television up a little louder, ask people to repeat themselves, or choose quieter restaurants without thinking much about it. To you, these changes may not seem significant.
The people around you may see things differently. Your partner or family member might notice that you:
- Ask people to repeat themselves more often
- Don’t respond when someone speaks from another room
- Turn the television volume up
- Have trouble following conversations in restaurants
- Watch people’s faces closely when they speak
- Have difficulty hearing when several people are talking
- Avoid certain social situations
- Misunderstand what someone has said
These observations can give your hearing care professional a better understanding of how your hearing is affecting your everyday life.
Your Hearing Test Results Are Only Part of the Picture
A hearing test measures your ability to hear different sounds at different pitches and volumes. Your clinician will use those results to understand your hearing levels.
But your day-to-day experiences matter too. For example, two people can have similar hearing test results but have very different listening needs. One person may spend most of their time in quiet environments, while another may regularly attend large family gatherings or spend time in busy restaurants. Talking about those real-world experiences helps your clinician understand what you’re looking for from your hearing care.
What Can a Loved One Tell Your Hearing Care Professional?
A loved one may notice things you don’t realize are happening. They might explain that you hear well when you’re facing them but struggle when they’re speaking from another room. Or they may have noticed that you have more difficulty following conversations when there’s background noise. Specific examples can be much more helpful than simply saying, “Your hearing has gotten worse.”
For example:
“She has started asking me to repeat myself during dinner.”
Or:
“He can follow a conversation when it’s just the two of us, but he has trouble when the whole family is talking.”
These details help your clinician understand where hearing difficulties are showing up in everyday life. Your loved one’s observations are only one part of the conversation. Your own experience and your hearing test results are just as important.
Get a Better Understanding of Your Hearing
A hearing test is a great first step toward understanding your hearing and getting answers to your questions. Book a hearing test with Hearing Solutions and bring someone along who knows your day-to-day experiences.
How Can a Loved One Help During a Hearing Test?
Bringing someone with you can be helpful throughout the appointment, particularly when your clinician reviews your results and discusses what they mean.
They Can Help You Remember Questions
It’s easy to think of a question after you’ve left the clinic. Having someone with you gives you another person who can listen, ask questions, and help remember what was discussed.
They Can Experience the Hearing Aid Demonstration With You
After your hearing assessment, your clinician may demonstrate hearing aids based on your hearing needs. Having someone familiar with you during this part of the appointment can be especially helpful.
You may be able to hear a noticeable difference when listening to a familiar person’s voice with hearing aids. Your loved one can also experience the conversation with you and hear how your voice and communication may sound when you’re wearing the devices.
This gives you both a chance to talk about what you notice. You may find that certain sounds are clearer or that following conversation feels different. Your clinician can then make adjustments and answer questions based on what you’re experiencing.
If you’re considering hearing aids, this can be a useful part of the appointment because you’re not just talking about what hearing aids might sound like. You’re able to experience them and have a conversation with someone you know.
They Can Better Understand Your Hearing
Your loved one may have their own ideas about what hearing loss means or what a hearing test involves. Being at the appointment gives them an opportunity to hear directly from your clinician and ask questions themselves.
This can be particularly useful if hearing aids are recommended. Understanding how hearing aids work and what to expect during the adjustment period can help everyone have more realistic expectations.
They Can Learn How to Communicate with You
Hearing care isn’t only about the person experiencing hearing loss. Small changes in how people communicate can make conversations easier. Your loved one can learn why things like getting your attention before speaking, facing you, reducing background noise, and speaking clearly can make a difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to bring someone with me to a hearing test?
No. You can attend a hearing test on your own. However, we recommend bringing a partner, family member, or close friend when possible. They can share observations about your hearing and be there to support you throughout the appointment.
Why is it helpful to bring a loved one to a hearing test?
Someone close to you may have noticed changes in your hearing that you haven’t noticed yourself. They can share examples of when you have difficulty hearing and help provide a better picture of how your hearing affects everyday conversations.
Can my loved one be there during my hearing aid demonstration?
Yes. We encourage you to bring someone you’re familiar with, especially if hearing aids are being demonstrated during your appointment. Hearing a familiar person’s voice while trying hearing aids can help you experience what conversations may sound like with the devices.
What can my partner or family member tell the hearing care professional?
They can share specific examples of what they’ve noticed, such as you asking them to repeat themselves, having difficulty following conversations in groups, turning up the television, or struggling to hear in noisy environments.
Can my loved one ask questions during my hearing test?
Yes. Having another person there can be helpful for asking questions, listening to the information your clinician provides, and remembering what was discussed during the appointment.
Should I bring someone if I’m considering hearing aids?
It can be helpful. A loved one can be there during the hearing aid demonstration, ask questions, and learn more about what to expect when you start wearing hearing aids. They may also be able to provide helpful insight into the situations where you have the most difficulty hearing.
Next Steps
You don’t have to navigate changes in your hearing on your own. Bringing someone you trust to your hearing test can give your clinician another perspective on your everyday listening experiences and give your loved one a chance to be part of the process. If it’s been a while since your last hearing test, book an appointment at one of our 20 Hearing Solutions clinics across Ontario.
