5 years ago my husband had intense cancer treatment for a tumor in base of skull. Maximum radiation and chemo treatment with a G tube for eating. 1 year ago, a tumor removed in mouth. He is deaf & even with devices, it is a difficult "new normal" for both of us and our daughter. His trouble shooting skills are low, he easily becomes frustrated - it is exhausting. Any advice...I am a young 54, healthy active and working. I am drowning in this "work."
First hit on a search of 'hearing loss and cognitive decline':
"Hearing Loss Accelerates Brain Function Decline in Older Adults. ... In the study, volunteers with hearing loss, undergoing repeated cognition tests over six years, had cognitive abilities that declined some 30 percent to 40 percent faster than in those whose hearing was normal."
The last thing you need on your plate is a deaf person with dementia.... our mom's hearing is truly limited but the Boogie Board can help (sometimes she can hear enough to figure out what you say, sometimes she can "see" what you are saying, sometimes pantomime works for simple things, writing it on the board helps quite a bit - if she ever loses her sight to the macular degeneration we continue to treat we are in deep doo doo!)
For Elizabeth99 and others: most definitely get a full assessment with an audiologist and find out what, if any, options are available. Although it is not likely in OP's case, anyone else who is dealing with hearing loss, either for yourself or another person, that full assessment might reveal Otosclerosis - otherwise known to us as the Florence Henderson hearing loss! It is surgically correctable (unfortunately when mom was offered this she declined - now she has no hearing in one ear and very limited with hearing aid, if she remembers to replace the battery, in the other. It is a shame because it is surgically correctable!)
So, best bet again is to get a full assessment and see where that leads. If there is no way to correct or enhance hearing, many suggestions here can help:
lip-reading
ensure the person can see you (don't talk behind them or from another room)
sign language, although that can be hard to learn and take time
resort to paper or dry-erase board
One other option I found is called a Boogie Board. It is like that "magic slate" we had as kids, where you write on the cellophane over wax board and then "erase" by lifting the cellophane, HOWEVER it is better. It is small enough to be portable, uses LCD and a stylus (ANY pointy object, even your fingernail will work, just do not use a pencil or pen.) Quickly you can write something down, and then with a push of a button erase the screen. I find this easier than trying to find paper, is less wasteful than paper, and unlike the dry-erase board, no need to use an eraser or special marker (making it less expensive over time!) I got this on Amazon - there are many options, many offerings, so search for the best one for your needs.
#1 Hearing aides
#2 Learn and use of ASL (American Sign Language)
#3 Cochlear implants (personally I know someone who has one cochlear implant as he is profoundly deaf and I will tell you it has given him a brand new life!
I definitely recommend that both of you learn ASL, as others have suggested.
Hearing loss is so frustrating for all involved. We tend to avoid crowded restaurants because it is impossible to focus on conversations when numerous people are talking at the same time. Staying home becomes the norm and with that depression. People tend to get snappy with us for asking you to repeat yourself. Please try to be patient and kind.
Find a good audiologist who can test his hearing. I am hard of hearing since birth. Digital hearing aids work for me and I feel frustrated without them. Also, reading lips helps a lot.
First off, it's not easy to speak S L O W E R but it works better and second, we ladies tend to have a higher pitch and that is the first hearing to go. (I used to call it selective hearing, until it was explained to me by the audiologist)
If your DH is a veteran - they now have "Implanted Hearing Aids" - I don't know if your DH is needing them, you can ask your audiologist. Ours said my DH isn't ready or needing them yet.
Your DH has been through a lot! It really isn't all that surprising that a side-effect of all he's been through is deafness.
For the cognition problems, I did a lot of online searches and found several supplements that have proven extremely helpful. My 96 yo DH is now awake most of the day and his cognition has improved.
I am not posting what I am using - I am not a Doctor and cannot prescribe - but you can go to FaceBook and look up "Natural Remedies, Natural Health" - EJ is wonderful at providing information. You can Private Message me if you wish.
I live with this but my husband is 84 and has dementia.
My husband, God love him, has been EXTREMELY hard of hearing for about ten years. It has, at times, driven me to distraction and has undermined our relationship to an extent.Here is my advice, and I mean this sincerely:
NOW while your husband is young and does not have dementia, both of you need to learn American Sign Language!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You will be able to adopt many ways to communicate easily about daily things and can rely on that later.
Make it fun! take a class. Try out new ways to improve communication with it.
Do it NOW!!! Now, get it?
Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not that you have time to do this research with your job and everything else going on with him. You can dictate into a smart phone and it will send emails via Siri transcribed to text so that might work too.
Face him when talking as he MAY get the drift of the conversation quicker. I know I seem to 'sort of lip read' a little. I have had no training. It seems that I do though, because if people face away from me and talk, I miss a lot. lol
Baby signs are good. Do them with a smile. It is not always the volume (but loud is good lol) but high/low tones. I have trouble with the low tones.
Finally get a large bag.
Bit enough to put your frustration in. Tell your husband he can use it too, then laugh.
Good Luck and hugs :)
For you to be working full time and trying to deal with all this must be exhausting,
Still working FT, I don't know how he manages.
Luckily, we are seeing and audiologist in 2 weeks and I am PRAYING that he will be helped by hearing aids. We'll see.
I also do use some very simple ASL signs for him, which embarrasses him, but I can do it in public and he "gets it".