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Communication strategies for people with hearing loss
What strategies can help with communication?
Hearing loss and communication | How does hearing loss affect communication? | Communication tips for hearing loss | Do's and Don'ts | Conclusion
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Hearing loss, hearing aids, and communication tips
Effective communication strategies for those with hearing loss include speaking clearly and at a moderate pace, ensuring good lighting for lip-reading, reducing background noise, using visual aids or written communication, employing assistive listening devices, and practising active listening and patience to foster understanding and inclusion.
It’s also useful to adapt these strategies for different settings — for example, in the workplace, during video calls, or in busy social environments — so that communication feels more natural and manageable. In this article, we talk about the strategies you can put in place to support a loved one, a colleague or a friend with hearing loss.
Conversation can be exhausting for those with hearing loss
Conversations naturally require concentration, focus, energy and a lot of time - patience. That is the case for those who have 'normal' hearing. Throw hearing loss into the mix, loud background noise and a group of friends all talking at the same time, and communication gets stressful, challenging and simply exhausting.
Many people with hearing loss say they feel drained after socialising, not because they don’t enjoy the company, but because the mental effort required to follow conversations is intense. Recognising this fatigue is the first step toward making communication more inclusive.
Hearing loss and communication
Communication is a fundamental aspect of human interaction. For people with hearing loss, however, communication can often be challenging and frustrating. Find out what communication strategies people with hearing loss can use to improve their ability to communicate effectively with others.
How does hearing loss affect communication?
How does hearing impairment affect communication? Hearing loss can significantly affect communication in several ways. Hearing loss can cause a communication breakdown in:
- Difficulty understanding speech: Hearing loss can make it difficult to hear certain sounds or words, especially those in higher frequencies. As a result, individuals with hearing loss may have difficulty understanding speech, particularly in noisy environments or when multiple people are speaking.
- Misunderstanding information: Hearing loss can also lead to misunderstandings of information. When people with hearing loss miss certain sounds or words in a sentence, they may misunderstand the meaning or context of the sentence altogether.
- Reduced ability to participate in conversations: Hearing loss can also reduce an individual's ability to participate in conversations, especially in groups. When people with hearing loss have difficulty hearing others, they may feel isolated and excluded from conversations.
- Social withdrawal: People with hearing loss may also withdraw from social situations altogether, as they may feel embarrassed or frustrated by their inability to hear and communicate effectively.
Over time, repeated misunderstandings can impact confidence, self-esteem, and even mental well-being — so putting communication strategies in place isn’t just practical, it’s emotionally supportive too.
Hearing loss and communication disorders
Not all individuals with hearing loss will develop communication disorders, and the severity of the communication disorder can vary. However, hearing loss can lead to communication disorders, which can further affect an individual's ability to communicate effectively. Communication disorders can affect an individual's ability to speak, understand, socialise, read or write.
Some people may benefit from structured support — for example, joining a lipreading class, using British Sign Language (BSL), or taking part in a local hearing-loss support group – to develop robust communication strategies over time.
Hearing loss and communication difficulties
Communication tips for hearing loss
Inform others about your hearing loss
How can we break down the barrier of communication when we or those we love have hearing loss? The first step in effective communication for people with hearing loss is to inform others about their hearing loss.
Informing others allows them to adjust their communication methods to suit your needs. Informing them can be done in a casual manner by simply explaining that you have a hearing loss and may need them to speak louder or more clearly.
You might also choose to show people helpful strategies — such as asking them to face you, to rephrase rather than repeat, or to write key points down — as this can help them adapt more quickly.
Positioning and lighting
Another important strategy is to ensure that you are well-positioned to hear the speaker wherever you are. For example, sit in a quiet area with the light source behind the speaker and avoid loud background noise. This can help you see the speaker's face and lip movements, making it easier to understand them.
In meetings or group conversations, try to arrange seating so that your ‘better’ ear or clearer line of sight is oriented towards the person speaking.
Use visual cues
Visual cues can be a great help for people with hearing loss. For example, lip-reading, sign language, or written notes can help to clarify speech. Non-verbal cues like facial expressions, body language, and gestures can also help to convey the meaning of the conversation.
In more formal or professional settings, consider using presentation slides, written agendas, or written follow‑ups to reinforce key messages and ensure comprehension.
Speak clearly and slowly
When speaking with someone with hearing loss, it is important to speak clearly and slowly. This allows the listener to focus on the speech, and it also helps them to understand what is being said. Avoid speaking too fast or too softly, as this can make it difficult for the listener to understand.
Pause between sentences to give the listener time to process what’s been said, and consider emphasising key words or ideas without exaggerating mouth movements.
Repeat or rephrase
If the listener has not understood what has been said, it is important to repeat or rephrase the information. This helps to ensure that the listener understands the information being communicated, which is integral within a workplace environment. It is important to use different words when rephrasing the information, as this can help the listener understand it better.
Sometimes, summarising what you’ve said after a few minutes or asking “Did that come across?” can also help to check understanding.
Use assistive listening devices
Assistive listening devices can be used to enhance communication for people with hearing loss. These devices include hearing aids and hearing aid accessories. These devices work by amplifying sound or filtering out background noise, making it easier for the listener to hear and understand the speaker.
In the UK, many workplaces and public venues support loop systems (induction loops), as well as Bluetooth or remote-microphone solutions — it’s worth asking about these when communicating in different environments.
Face the listener
When speaking with someone with hearing loss, it is important to face them directly. This allows them to see your face and lip movements, making it easier for them to understand what is being said. Avoid turning your head or looking away when speaking with someone with hearing loss.
Maintain eye contact and ensure your face is well-lit — this supports lip-reading and non-verbal communication.
Avoid shouting
Shouting is not an effective communication strategy for people with hearing loss. In fact, it can make it more difficult for them to understand what is being said. Speak clearly and slowly, and use visual cues if necessary, to ensure effective communication. Shouting can also distort your facial movements, making lip-reading harder, so it’s much better to modulate your volume appropriately.
Eliminate background noise
Background noise can make it difficult for people with hearing loss to understand speech. It is important to eliminate as much background noise as possible when communicating with someone with hearing loss. Turn off the television or radio, close windows and avoid socialising in noisy areas.
If you can’t control the environment (for example, public cafés), try to move to a quieter corner or suggest using assistive listening technology.
Be patient
It is important to be patient when communicating with someone with hearing loss. It may take them longer to process the information and respond to the conversation. Allow them time to think about what is being said, and avoid interrupting or finishing their sentences. Encourage them to ask for repetition or clarification, and reassure them that it’s okay to take a moment to respond.
Personalise your hearing aids
If you have hearing loss, chances are you will have difficulty hearing in background noise. Hearing aids can help reduce background noise by using advanced algorithms to filter out unwanted sounds and enhance speech.
Most hearing aids now have features such as noise reduction and directional microphones that can help to further reduce background noise and help with better communication.
Work with your audiologist to program your hearing aids based on the environments you spend most time in — for example, at work, home, or in social settings. Many modern devices support multiple ‘listening programmes’ that you can switch between.
Language and communication issues attributable to hearing loss
How does hearing impairment affect communication and language?
Do's and Don'ts - Communication tips for talking to people with hearing loss
In addition, some people may experience frustration or embarrassment when they repeatedly miss key parts of conversations. Openly acknowledging the challenge and discussing it with close contacts can help normalise the issue and reduce social anxiety.
| Do's | Don'ts |
| Get their attention with a tap or wave | Don't shout at them or clap |
| Communicate face-to-face | Don't turn your head when communicating |
| Speak slowly and clearly | Don't speak fast or loudly |
| If they misheard you rephrase, be patient and use notes if needed | Don't repeat (but in a louder voice) or get frustrated |
Also, avoid covering your mouth (for example, with a hand or paper), as this can block visual cues that are vital for understanding.
Conclusion
The extent to which hearing loss affects communication can vary depending on the severity of the hearing loss, the individual's age and other factors. It is essential for individuals with hearing loss to seek appropriate treatment to improve their communication abilities and overall quality of life.
Communication strategies can be an effective tool for people with hearing loss to improve their ability to communicate effectively with others. Strategies such as informing others about your hearing loss, positioning and lighting, using visual cues, speaking clearly and slowly and repeating or rephrasing information.
Our guidance is aimed at those who have mild to moderate hearing loss, as those with profound loss or who are deaf may have additional strategies that will be more effective.
However, using assistive listening devices, facing the listener, avoiding shouting, eliminating background noise and being patient can make a significant difference in effective communication to all.
Importantly, communication is a two‑way process: educating friends, family, colleagues, and the wider public about these strategies can make daily life much more inclusive. Encouraging workplaces, schools, and community settings to adopt accessible communication practices (such as loop systems or real‑time captioning) is vital for long-term change.
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Hearing loss and communication
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FAQs
In general, any audiologist will always recommend to you the hearing aid model that best suits your needs. Here is a useful checklist to make sure that is the case.
- Audiologist's level of knowledge: The audiologist you have seen will hopefully have a wide knowledge of all available hearing aids; however, some will only be familiar with a small number of brands and, therefore, may not really be in a position to know which model is the best for you. It is OK to challenge their recommendation and ask them to justify why this particular brand is the one for you.
- Do research: Read about the hearing aid that was recommended. Does it seem like it will suit your lifestyle? Does it have more or fewer features than you need?
- Be aware of sales targets: Many high street retailers have specific tie-ins to a particular manufacturer/brand. The hearing aid they have suggested may still be the correct one for you, but do your research so that you know why they might have recommended it.
If you have significant hearing loss in both ears, you should be wearing two hearing aids. Here are the audiological reasons why:
Localisation: The brain decodes information from both ears and compares and contrasts them. By analysing the minuscule time delays as well as the difference in the loudness of each sound reaching the ears, the person is able to accurately locate a sound source.
Simply put, if you have better hearing on one side than the other, you can't accurately tell what direction sounds are coming from.
Less amplification is required: A phenomenon known as “binaural summation” means that the hearing aids can be set at a lower and more natural volume setting than if you wore only one hearing aid.
Head shadow effect: High frequencies, the part of your hearing that gives clarity and meaning to speech sounds, cannot bend around your head. Only low frequencies can. Therefore, if someone is talking on your unaided side, you are likely to hear that they are speaking, but be unable to tell what they have said.
Noise reduction: The brain has its own built-in noise reduction, which is only really effective when it is receiving information from both ears. If only one ear is aided, even with the best hearing aid in the world, it will be difficult for you to hear in background noise as your brain is trying to retain all of the sounds (including background noise) rather than filtering them out.
Sound quality: We are designed to hear in stereo. Only hearing from one side sounds a lot less natural to us.
Fancy some further reading on this topic? You can read about why two hearing aids are better than one in our article, hearing aids for Both Ears, here
For most people, the main benefit of a rechargeable hearing aid is simple convenience. We are used to plugging in our phones and other devices overnight for them to charge up. Here are some other pros and cons:
For anybody with poor dexterity or issues with their fingers, having a rechargeable aid makes a huge difference, as normal hearing aid batteries are quite small and some people find them fiddly to change.
One downside is that if you forget to charge your hearing aid, then it is a problem that can't be instantly fixed. For most, a 30-minute charge will get you at least two or three hours of hearing, but if you are the type of person who is likely to forget to plug them in regularly, then you're probably better off with standard batteries.
Rechargeable aids are also a little bit bigger and are only available in Behind-the-Ear models.
Finally, just like with a mobile phone, the amount of charge you get on day one is not going to be the same as you get a few years down the line. Be sure to ask what the policy is with the manufacturer's warranty when it comes to replacing the battery.
For most people, the answer is yes. But it's never that simple.
The majority of hearing problems affect the high frequencies a lot more than the low ones. Therefore, open fitting hearing aids sound a lot more natural and ones that block your ears up can make your own voice sound like you are talking with your head in a bucket. Therefore, in-ear aids tend to be less natural.
However, the true answer is we can't tell until we have had a look in your ears to assess the size of your ear canal, and until we have tested your hearing to see which frequencies are being affected.
People with wider ear canals tend to have more flexibility, also there are open fitting modular CIC hearing aids now that do not block your ears.
There is also the age-old rule to consider, that a hearing aid will not help you if it's sat in the drawer gathering dust. If the only hearing aid you would be happy wearing is one that people can't see, then that's what you should get.
Most people can adapt to any type of hearing aid, as long as they know what to expect. Have an honest conversation with your audiologist as to what your needs are.
Generally speaking, six or more. Unless it's none at all. The number of channels a hearing aid has is often a simplistic way an audiologist will use to explain why one hearing aid is better than another, but channels are complex, and it is really not that straightforward. Here are some reasons why:
Hearing aids amplify sounds of different frequencies by different amounts. Most people have lost more high frequencies than low, and therefore need more amplification in the high frequencies. The range of sounds you hear is split into frequency bands or channels, and the hearing aids are set to provide the right amount of hearing at each frequency level.
Less than six channels, and this cannot be done with much accuracy, so six is the magic number. However, a six-channel aid is typically very basic with few other features and is suitable only for hearing a single speaker in a quiet room. The number of channels is not what you should be looking at; it's more the rest of the technology that comes with them.
As a final note, different manufacturers have different approaches. One method is not necessarily better than any other. For example, some manufacturers have as many as 64 channels in their top aids. Most tend to have between 17 and 20. One manufacturer has no channels at all.
Manufacturer's warranties typically last between 2-5 years, depending on the brand and model, and cover defects in materials and workmanship. This includes repairs for component failures, electronic malfunctions, and manufacturing defects, but excludes damage from misuse, accidents, or normal wear. Most manufacturers also include loss and damage insurance for the first year.
We handle all warranty claims on your behalf, liaising with manufacturers and ensuring you get replacement devices quickly when needed. This comprehensive warranty coverage, combined with our lifetime aftercare, gives you complete peace of mind.
Our hearing tests are completely free, whether at our clinics or in your home. Unlike other providers who charge £30-£100 for home visits, we believe hearing healthcare should be accessible without financial barriers. Our comprehensive assessments include examination by a registered audiologist, audiogram results, and personalised recommendations.
All testing, future adjustments, and ongoing support are included at no extra cost. While NHS tests are also free, typical 6-week waiting periods often lead people to seek immediate private testing. We provide prompt, professional assessments that fit your schedule and budget.
Yes, we offer completely free home visits throughout the UK, and this service is included in our prices with no additional charges. Home visits are particularly valuable for people with mobility issues, busy schedules, or those who simply prefer the comfort and convenience of their own environment.
Our audiologists can conduct full hearing tests, fit hearing aids, and provide ongoing support in your home. This service sets us apart from many providers who either don't offer home visits or charge extra for them.
We can offer prices up to 40% lower than high street retailers because of our business model. As a network of 200+ independent audiologists, we don't have the massive overheads of large retail chains - no expensive high street premises, no sales targets pushing audiologists to sell the most expensive options, and no costly marketing campaigns.
However, we maintain the same buying power as the big chains because we purchase on behalf of our entire nationwide network. This means you get access to the same premium hearing aids with professional service, but at genuinely competitive prices.
We offer a comprehensive 60-day money-back guarantee, which gives you twice the industry standard time to properly assess whether your hearing aids are right for you. This extended period recognises that adjusting to hearing aids takes time, and your brain needs several weeks to adapt to the amplified sounds.
Unlike many providers who offer just 30 days, we believe 60 days gives you the confidence to test your hearing aids in all the situations that matter to you - from quiet conversations at home to busy restaurants and outdoor activities.
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