Living with
Hearing Loss
Jennifer R. LaBorde, Au.D., CCC-A
Doctor of Audiology and Hearing Aid User
Accompanied by Garrett P. LaBorde,
(Dr. LaBorde’s Husband and Hearing Partner)
Hearing Loss Humor
There is no doubt that hearing loss affects not only the hard of hearing
person, but those who live around them as well.
Q. What are some fun stories you have about living with
hearing loss?
HEARING LOSS:
WHAT THIS MEANS TO YOU
AND YOUR LIFE!
And….the People in It!
How Do We Define Hearing Loss?
 Type
 Degree
 Configuration
 Type

Conductive



Ear wax, Perforation of the eardrum, Middle Ear Fluid, Otosclerosis
Sensorineural

Inner ear/cochlear hearing loss due to aging, noise exposure, genetics,
medical diagnosis, etc.

Involves a reduction in sound level, or ability to hear faint sounds, but
also affects speech understanding, or ability to hear clearly.
Mixed

Combination of the above
 Degree

Normal range or no hearing loss = 0 dB to 20 dB

Mild loss = 20 dB to40 dB

Moderate loss = 40 dB to 55 dB

Moderately-Severe loss = 55 dB to 70 dB

Severe Loss= 70-90 dB

Profound loss = 90 dB or more
 Configuration


The measurement of how much hearing loss is
present at specific frequencies.

Sloping

Flat

Reverse Slope

Precipitously Sloping

Cookie Bite
Other Descriptive Terms

Bilateral — both ears are affected.

Unilateral — only one ear is affected.

Symmetrical — degree & configuration of hearing loss are same in each ear.

Asymmetrical— degree and/or configuration of the loss is different for each ear.

Progressive/Late-onset — becomes increasingly worse over time.

Sudden hearing loss — occurs quickly, requires immediate medical attention to determine
its cause and treatment.

Fluctuating — changes, sometimes getting better, sometimes getting worse.
HEARING LOSS SIMULATIONS
Have you ever wondered,
“What does his/her hearing loss really sound
like?”
or
“I wish (insert person) knew what it was like
to have hearing loss”…..
NOW WE CAN SHOW THEM!
Hearing Loss Simulations

Normal Hearing in Quiet

Mild/Moderate Hearing Loss in Quiet
VS.

Normal Hearing in Noise

Mild/Moderate Hearing Loss in Noise
When would this effect
normal conversations?

DISTANCE LISTENING

POOR ACOUSTICS

LACK OF VISUAL CUES
WHAT CAN WE DO TO COMBAT
HEARING LOSS?
Hearing Aids Alone……….
Are Not Enough!
Hearing Aids
+
Assistive Listening Devices
+
Speech-reading
+
Coping Strategies
If you only had one coping strategy
to employ for better hearing that
did not cost anything, what would
the single most effective
hearing loss coping strategy be?
It would be……
GET
AS
CLOSE
AS YOU CAN!
How Distance
Affects Hearing

Sounds Drop Off

At ear level, sound is at 100%.

At 2 feet away, sound is ¼ as loud

At 8 feet, this is 1/64th as loud

At 20 feet (back of the room), the sound is
1/400th as loud!
What a difference it makes in volume!
What Else Does Distance
Affect?

Increased Background Noise
•
There is more between you and the speaker

Speech Becomes More Distorted

Speech Intelligence Drops
•
Low Frequency sounds carry volume
•
High Frequency sounds carry intelligence
•
Because low frequencies travel well through air, you hear them
better at greater distances. High frequency sounds attenuate faster
so they disappear at distances
Make it Better with a Mini Mic
Or if you’d rather…..
Get Physically Closer to
Each Other!

VISUAL FACTORS/CUES
“Hold on, I can’t hear you….let me get my glasses!”
“It’s too dark in here! I just can’t hear you!”
Visual Cues are a Necessity

Lighting

Speechreading

Avoid having a backlit speaker
(in front of a window)


Ceiling lights vs. table lights
Almost all hard of hearing
people speechread, whether
they realize it or not.
Lighting helps with this
tremendously, as does
getting close!

Candles flickering/mood
lighting…not our friend!
Coping Skills/Strategies for
Hearing Loss

Be Your Own Advocate! Take Charge!
If you don’t tell people what you need, how will anyone be able to
help you?

Speak slower, speak louder, please come closer, let me come to
you, please rephrase that

Let’s sit here, this is the best seat for me to hear better, sit
away from the kitchen at a restaurant, sit where a server has to
approach you
It takes Two to Tango…
How this affects relationships
Communication is Essential to
Relationships
Hearing Loss is just that…..A Loss
One that we must “grieve” and come to a
certain level of acceptance about. Both people
in a relationship must do this, so we cannot be
each others’ support system in this process
What do we grieve?

The loss of easy communication

The activities that we once enjoyed together

Independence as individuals in a relationship

Others????
Is This Bad News?
Not Necessarily….
it is what we do with this news
that makes the difference!
Communicating with People
Who Have Hearing Loss

Face the person

Do NOT talk from Another Room

Speak clearly, slowly, distinctly, but NATURALLY without
exaggerating mouth movements

Say the person’s name before talking

Avoid talking too fast

Keep your hands away from your face

Minimize extraneous noise

If one has difficulty, find a DIFFERENT WAY of saying the same thing

Acquaint the listener with the topic before speaking

It is harder to hear when ill or tired (mental fatigue)

Bite-sized conversations  Take turns speaking

Pay attention to the facial expressions of the listener
Realistic Expectations

In quiet settings, hearing should improve.

In moderate background noise, hearing should improve.

Hearing in noise is NOT as good as in quiet.

Hearing with LOUD background noise is NOT WORSE than
without the hearing aids.

Soft speech is audible, average speech is comfortable, loud
speech is not uncomfortable.

Hearing Aids should be comfortable.

Aids should allow listening with LESS effort.

Fatigue AND Stress make hearing worse!

Hearing Aids WILL NOT restore hearing to normal
levels…Patience will always be needed!

Performance improves gradually.

Hearing Aids WILL NOT eliminate background noise, but
technology has come a long way.
How Would We Expect Hearing
Loss to Affect Relationships?
Aside from thinking you can grumble under your
breath……

In a study of the impact of hearing loss on a
spouse, therapists have asserted that
communication difficulties related to
hearing loss would likely weigh on couple
relationships and influence their
development negatively….
However, in contrast
…..the couples in the study
most often reported that they
either did not think the
hearing loss had affected their
relationship development, or
that it had influenced their
relationship positively!!!!!
Now, you’re all set!
Perfectly Happy Couples.
Right?!?!
Staying in Touch:
850.474.8328 or 800.874.4542
Jennifer.Reeves@MedicalCenterClinic.com
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hearing-Center
BlabTV (Live & OnDemand)