Tips for Better Communication | 33
Your hearing professional will recommend an
appropriate schedule to help you adapt to your new
hearing aid� It will take practice, time and patience
for your brain to adapt to the new sounds that your
hearing aid provides� Hearing is only part of how
we share thoughts, ideas and feelings� Reading lips,
facial expressions and gestures can help the learning
process and add to what amplification alone may miss�
Please review the following simple communication tips:
For You
• Move closer to and look at the speaker
• Sit face-to-face in a quiet room
• Try different locations to find the best place to listen
• Minimize distractions
• Background noises may be frustrating at first;
remember, you have not heard them for a while
• Let others know what you need; keep in mind
that people cannot “see” your hearing loss
• Develop realistic expectations of what your
hearing aids can and cannot do
• Better hearing with hearing aids is a learned skill
combining desire, practice and patience