AUDIOLOGY Q: : I think my wife has hearing loss, but she is hesitant to see an audiologist. She struggles to communicate with family and friends. Do you have any advice for family members dealing with this? Andrea Wilson A: Hearing loss not only affects the person with Au.D. the impairment, but it can also strain relationships with friends, family, and co-workers. The most important thing you can do is be supportive. On average, it takes seven years for a person with hearing loss to discover they have a problem and make the decision to seek treatment. It is also important to make sure you are facing each other when conversing. Face-to-face communication will benefit her the most. A really good way to encourage a spouse to get their hearing checked is to go together! Everyone can benefit from having their hearing tested. This provides a baseline to use as a comparison in the years to come. An annual hearing exam is generally covered by insurance, and at Hearing Wellness Center we check on your benefit before the appointment. After testing is done, your hearing health care provider will be able to explain what type of hearing loss she has, if any, and provide communication strategies and hearing aid options. Hearing Wellness Center LET US HELP YOU HEARWELLTM 677 Anne Street NW, Suite G Bemidji, MN 56601 218-333-8833 www.hearwellmn.com AUDIOLOGY Q: : I think my wife has hearing loss, but she is hesitant to see an audiologist. She struggles to communicate with family and friends. Do you have any advice for family members dealing with this? Andrea Wilson A: Hearing loss not only affects the person with Au.D. the impairment, but it can also strain relationships with friends, family, and co-workers. The most important thing you can do is be supportive. On average, it takes seven years for a person with hearing loss to discover they have a problem and make the decision to seek treatment. It is also important to make sure you are facing each other when conversing. Face-to-face communication will benefit her the most. A really good way to encourage a spouse to get their hearing checked is to go together! Everyone can benefit from having their hearing tested. This provides a baseline to use as a comparison in the years to come. An annual hearing exam is generally covered by insurance, and at Hearing Wellness Center we check on your benefit before the appointment. After testing is done, your hearing health care provider will be able to explain what type of hearing loss she has, if any, and provide communication strategies and hearing aid options. Hearing Wellness Center LET US HELP YOU HEARWELLTM 677 Anne Street NW, Suite G Bemidji, MN 56601 218-333-8833 www.hearwellmn.com