by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. © July, 2015 Our brains are marvelous organs. They are always trying to make sense out of what we hear. Thus, when we miss something, they try to fill in the gaps in what we misheard with something that seems to make sense, even if it doesn’t really make […]
Coping Strategies
Laugh at Yourself—It Sure Beats the Alternative
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. Tammy, a hard of hearing lady, explained, “In spite of the many hardships I’ve experienced from my progressive hearing loss, I am by nature an optimist and always try to see the silver-lining and humour in situations. I have had countless opportunities to laugh at myself over misunderstood conversations, misheard words, […]
Hearing Loss and the Terrible Toll it Takes on Hard of Hearing People at Family Gatherings
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. There is a terrible, yet invisible, toll that hearing loss extracts from many hard of hearing people at family gatherings when family members do not take steps to effectively meet the hard of hearing person’s hearing needs. To help you understand what it is like to be hard-of-hearing at family gatherings, […]
Speechreading and Signing When You Lose Your Hearing
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A young mother explained, I recently was diagnosed with irreversible hearing loss in my left ear and it is starting in my right ear as well. I have 3 young children and I am having a hard time dealing with the loss of my hearing and the frustration of not understanding […]
The Right Way to Help Your Spouse Hear
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A lady wrote, I am hearing and my husband is very hard of hearing. When we are together and my husband doesn’t understand someone, I often pitch in and repeat or rephrase what the other person is saying. I would love to have some guidelines for doing this in a respectful […]
Interventions, Cost/Benefit Ratios and Hearing Loss
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D. A concerned daughter wrote, My step-dad has been hard of hearing since the 1990s due to being a gunner in Vietnam. Only in the last 8 years has he decided to not wear his hearing aids even though he got some updated ones just 3 years ago. I have seen the […]