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When communicating with an adult who is hard-of-hearing, there are some strategies and tips which can enhance communication and lessen frustrations for everyone. Try some of these suggestions and discuss which ideas the hard-of-hearing person feels are most helpful.

Your sensitivity to their communication needs can often help them feel more comfortable participating in conversation and being around groups of people, and they may show more interest in participating in activities.

• Whenever someone is having problems with hearing, get their attention before you start speaking to them.
• Make sure to face the hard-of-hearing person. Many people ask questions with their back to the listener as they are walking away from them.
• If they are seated or in bed, it may be easier for them if you try to get down to their eye level.
• If they have a hearing aid, are they wearing it? Does it need new batteries? Have they had their ears checked lately for wax buildup?
• You may notice that some people who wear hearing aids prefer to turn them off or are resistant to wearing them. In some cases it is because they find it difficult to tolerate noisy environments, especially if there is a lot of activity and conversation going on at the same time.
• Many hard-of-hearing people have difficulty with higher-pitched voices. Try to speak in a lower voice if possible, and check with them to see if they find this helpful.
• Many older adults will say they can hear you but do not understand you. They may have poor discrimination so the words are not clear, and that makes it harder to understand what is being said. Carefully pronouncing your words and eliminating background noise may make it less frustrating for them.
• In some cases there are those with early memory loss who also have a significant hearing loss. They may hear a few of the words and try to fill in the missing words, but cannot remember the beginning of the message that is presented. Presenting shorter, less complex messages may eliminate some of the problem.
• When you are watching movies, look for those that have a closed-caption option. Some people with hearing problems may benefit from them. Others may find the text is presented too fast or is printed too small.
• Slow down the rate of your presentation and make sure you continue to do so while talking. Speakers have a tendency to pick up the rate of their speech as a conversation progresses.
• Simplify the complexity of the information whenever possible, but keep it on an adult level.
• Repeat any details that are more complicated and try to present them in shorter segments.
• Look for any non-verbal clues from the listener that they are missing some of the information. Do not assume that they heard you correctly.
• Point to something that will help you clarify the information. Gestures that are meaningful can sometimes assist them process what was said.
• It may be helpful to over-pronounce your words, but be careful not to exaggerate what you are saying.
• Encourage them to let you know if they are not hearing you or you are speaking too quickly.
• Writing down a key word or the details often makes a lot of difference. Make sure you print clearly and that they can read that size print easily.
• Spell the word aloud for them slowly, saying one letter at a time.
• Do not assume that they understood everything exactly as it was said. Ask them to verify information. If they are not in the habit of doing that, review the information again.