Make changes and adapt

Living with a partner who has hearing loss

Living with a non-hearing partner is easy, it’s the problems faced by the non-hearing partner which present challenges.

How PC and, worse, how insincere. I’ll always be honest, so …being unable to hear is isolating, difficult, scary and both physically and emotionally draining (and damaging). But Sue, my wife, is the person I chose to spend my life with, so her lost hearing and other problems brought by Meniere’s Disease change nothing in our relationship – I just have to make changes and adapt.

Adaptation can be the most important part of living with a non-hearing person, it’s easier to make changes than struggle. And for those who don’t already have patience – learn it. Life will be easier for both.

When Sue lost her hearing she lost her self-confidence and reliance. She had been a strong personality, but after some serious discrimination and bullying she avoided contact with strangers.We were lucky, with help from Hearing Link and an excellent Hearing Therapist, Sue became able to stop apologising to strangers that she couldn’t hear what they said and now instead says “I’m deaf, please look at me and speak clearly so I can lipread.” I was, and remain, immensely proud of her accomplishments.