Listening Strategies

Even with the best hearing aid, some situations may still be very difficult. Here are a number of things you can do to make it easier to understand what people are saying. Try telling others about your hearing loss and how they can help you to follow what they are saying.

In general:

  • Ask people to speak clearly and slowly, but not to shout;
  • Be clear about your communication needs from the start. This will make the conversation easier for the other person too;
  • 3-6 feet is the ideal distance from the person speaking. Your hearing aid has only a small microphone, so the closer you are to the sound you are listening to, the better;
  • Don’t be afraid to ask people to repeat or rephrase what they said
  • It may be helpful to use questions with yes/no answers to confirm information Try to keep calm, and don't panic; and be patient.