Rules To Remember When Speaking To Someone With Hearing Loss

Hello and welcome to the new Marilyn Electronics Blog. We hope to post interesting articles to help keep you informed of new and exciting products and services for individuals with hearing loss. If you have an idea for an article, please don't hesitate to send us an e-mail.

I would like to start off our blog with an article which was originally published by our founder, Marilyn Rappaport, many years ago in a newsletter which her and her husband Sheldon actually hand typed back in the early days. Hope you enjoy it...

From Marilyn's Desk is meant not only for the hearing impaired, but for spouses, relatives and friends of the person with hearing loss.

Here are some tips to make it easier for the hearing impaired person to hear what you're saying:

• Stand directly in front of the hearing-impaired person so they may see your face.
• If the person with hearing loss has a better ear, sit or stand on that side.
• Hold conversations away from background noise as much as possible.
• Speak clearly and slowly, not loud. One doesn't have to shout at a hard of hearing person. It only distorts speech.
• If the hard of hearing person misunderstands, be patient. Say the sentence another way.
  When talking to a hearing-impaired person, don't be chewing gum or puffing on a cigarette.
• Talking with a hearing-impaired person does not have to be any different than talking with a normal hearing person, if you are cognizant of their needs.

E-mail us with any questions or comments