How to Spot Hearing Loss in Someone You Love: A Guide

How to Spot Hearing Loss in Someone You Love

The holiday season is a time to reconnect, share laughter, and enjoy conversations around the table. For people with hearing loss however, it can be more challenging as they struggle to keep up with the chatter. If someone close to you seems quieter than normal, it could be that they’re finding it harder to hear. 

By recognising the early signs of hearing loss, you can help your loved one stay confident and connected, especially during the festive season when communication matters most. 

The Small Signs That Mean A Lot

One of the biggest challenges people with hearing loss face is understanding speech in noisy environments. The Infinio Ultra does this with ease thanks to the following technological advancements:

• Difficulty following conversations: If a family member or friend often says, “Pardon?” or asks you to repeat something, it could mean that they are missing parts of the conversation. This can be especially noticeable when there’s loud background noise, like chatter around the table during family gatherings.²  
• Turning up the volume: If your loved one is turning up the volume on the radio or TV to a level higher than others find comfortable, it may indicate they have hearing loss. You might find they also position themselves closer to the speaker for added help hearing.
• Difficulty following group conversations: Hearing loss can make it harder to separate different sounds, especially when several people are talking at once.³ If someone close to you seems to withdraw during lively conversations, it might be because they’re struggling to follow along. 
• Mishearing or misunderstanding words: If someone in your life frequently responds in a way that doesn’t quite match what was said, it may be due to missing high pitched sounds. These are often the first frequencies to fade with age-related hearing loss.⁴ 
• Avoiding social situations: Many people with untreated hearing loss start to avoid group activities or noisy environments due to the inability to follow the conversation.⁵ This can lead to feelings of isolation, but with support, they can re-engage fully with friends and family. 
• Feeling tired or irritable after long conversations: Listening fatigue is a common but often overlooked symptom of hearing loss. When the brain has to work harder to fill in missing words, it can leave people feeling mentally drained by the end of the day.⁶ For your loved one, this might look like feeling tired or irritable after long conversations or social events. 

How To Start A Caring Conversation

If you’ve noticed these changes in someone close to you, it’s important to approach the topic of hearing loss with care. By keeping the focus on connection and comfort, you can help your loved one feel supported rather than singled out. 

The good news is that with proper care, guidance, and support, your friend or family member can enjoy the connection that comes with the holidays. A hearing check can make all the difference in helping them stay connected to every conversation. 

If your loved one is ready to take the next step in their hearing health, book an appointment at your local Connect Hearing clinic today. Our team of experts will help them find solutions that fit their needs, so they can enjoy a festive season of connection, confidence and laughter. 

References

1. World Health Organisation (26 February 2025), Deafness and hearing loss, World Health Organisation, accessed 28 October 2025. 
2. StatPearls (23 August 2023), Sensorineural Hearing Loss, National Library of Medicine, accessed 28 October 2025. 
3. Mayo Clinic (30 March 2023), Hearing Loss, www.mayoclinic.org, accessed 28 October 2025. 
4. National Institute on Aging (19 January 2023), Hearing Loss: A Common Problem for Older Adults, National Institute on Aging, accessed 28 October 2025. 
5. Audiology Research (24 April 2025), The Ongoing Challenges of Hearing Loss: Stigma, Socio-cultural Differences, and Accessibility Barriers, National Library of Medicine, accessed 28 October 2025. 
6. Ear Hear (19 September 2017), Commentary: Listening Can Be Exhausting - Fatigue in Children and Adults With Hearing Loss, National Library of Medicine, accessed 28 October 2025.