How Do You Get Someone To Buy A Hearing Aid?
I have been asked this question at least 4 to 6 times a week. You may think this sounds strange; however, this is asked by people who are close to, or are friends of, someone who has a hearing loss.
It’s not that they haven’t tried or told their family member or friend to get a hearing aid. The person who is losing out and misunderstanding conversations often doesn’t see the need — or their ego prevents them from taking steps to get help.
Over the last 35 years of helping people hear better, I have found the best way to encourage someone who has put off for years getting help is to realize you are perhaps the reason they are not getting that help.
Does this sound strange to you, that you may be the reason they aren’t getting help when it is their problem and not yours? Well, think about it. Who is it that keeps raising their voice when talking to them? Who is it that keeps repeating over and over every sentence until you think they got it? Are you starting to get the picture?
What if you told the person you respect their decision not to get help and that’s okay with you? But, in turn, you hope they respect your decision not to raise your voice and repeat every conversation? Can you feel the shift in responsibility?
Again, getting help for a hearing loss is a personal choice everyone has to make for themselves. However, as you can understand, taking on the burden of responsibility upon yourself by compensating for their loss usually only makes matters worse. Why do they need to get help if you are the best hearing aid they have?
Correcting a hearing loss resulting in easy and better communication can bring families and friends closer together.
