Do’s and don’ts of communicating with someone with hearing loss

Do’s

1. Do get the person’s attention before you begin talking. It can be as simple as saying their name so they know they should pay attention.
2. Do repeat things if asked and try rephrasing it to provide more information about the topic.
3. Do move closer to the person if you are in a noisy place or more than six feet away.
4. Do use facial expressions and gestures to help augment communication.
5. Do recommend they go get their hearing tested by a hearing healthcare professional.

Don’ts

1. Don’t try to talk to someone from a different room. Sound doesn’t know how to travel around corners and through doors.
2. Don’t yell. It changes your voice and face and can make reading cues from your face difficult.
3. Don’t cover your mouth as you speak.
4. Don’t say “never mind.” It is dismissive and excludes the person from the conversation when they were just trying to understand.
5. Don’t speak extra slow. It doesn’t help the hearing impaired to hear any better and can make lip-reading harder.

For more tips, reach out to your hearing healthcare professional. If you don’t have a hearing care provider, we can help you find one in your area. Just call 1-888-908-1845 or click here.

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