Phone Conversation Recommendations for the Hearing Impaired

Hearing loss does not need to get in the way of having meaningful conversations over the phone. The following tips can help you adjust your approach to help you get the most out of every phone call.

• When you suffer from hearing loss in one ear, it is helpful to be aware of which ear you can hear better with so that you can hold the receiver in that particular ear.
• Make sure you receive phone calls after reducing any background noise such as turning down the television or radio.
• Inform the caller of your reduced hearing capacity and request them to speak clearly so that they can help you out with a better hearing experience.
• If you find certain words difficult to hear, ask the speaker to spell out these words for you.
• In many cases you will be able to decipher the general conversation through guesswork if you correctly identify the context.
• Make sure you use close-ended questions that allow the speaker to answer in short answers or using a simple “yes” or “no” so that you can eliminate the chances of misunderstanding or mishearing what is being said.
• Pay attention to any changes in the speaker’s tone of voice which may clue you in as to whether it is your turn to speak.
• With the consent of the caller, you can use some extra help and ask a loved one or a close friend to listen in on the conversation on your behalf and repeat what is being said to you so that you can provide your responses accordingly.
• You can also utilize an assistive listening device which enables telephone conversations to be routed directly to your hearing aids which would enable you to have a clearer, amplified sense of hearing.