Living with hearing aids

Useful tips for socializing as a new hearing aid wearer

Last update on Mar, 12, 2025

Embarking on your hearing aid journey might stir up a lot of feelings, like anxiety and uncertainty — but hopefully excitement as well. Hearing aids can enhance daily conversations, making interactions more enjoyable and fulfilling. However, adapting to hearing aids, especially in social situations, requires time and patience. With consistent use, guidance from hearing care professionals (HCPs) and effective hearing aid tips, you can maximize the benefits of your devices and get back to living your life.

Dr. Thomas Tedeschi, Au.D.

Chief Audiology Officer, Miracle-Ear

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Key takeaways

Untreated hearing loss can cause isolation and create communication barriers, but hearing aids help restore connections.
Adapting to hearing aids takes time, but they significantly enhance conversations and make social interactions more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Effective communication techniques like facing the speaker and asking for clarification can improve conversations for new hearing aid users.
Start gradually by socializing in quiet environments and one-on-one conversations before engaging in larger group social settings.
Attending follow-up appointments with your Hearing Care Provider and documenting challenges will ensure you have the best hearing aid experience.

Getting started with hearing aids

Hearing aids can have a profound and transformative effect on your social life and relationships. Take the hearing aid social story of Richard, a proud Miracle-Ear customer, and his wife Cookie. After 40 years of marriage, Richard began to lose his hearing. The couple found that instead of talking, they shouted and instead of laughing, they argued.

When Cookie told Richard he had a hearing problem, he insisted that her mumbling was at fault. When Cookie said the TV and car radio were too loud, Richard claimed they weren’t loud enough. It got to the point that Cookie wore earplugs in the house and they drove separate cars.

Eventually realizing the effect his hearing loss was having on his marriage, Richard visited Miracle-Ear for a free hearing evaluation. He marveled at the care and compassion he received, calling the visit “phenomenal” and the product “life-changing.”

“I could hear the grass grow,” Richard said. “Everything was so crystal clear".

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Hearing aids and social life

Just like how Richard and Cookie found themselves arguing, many people find that hearing loss leads to communication barriers. This, in turn, can pave the way for social isolation and feelings of loneliness. Research indicates that individuals with hearing loss are at a higher risk of experiencing social isolation.¹ When you can’t hear, it’s more difficult to participate in social activities and conversations, leading to feelings of frustration or embarrassment that cause people to avoid social situations altogether. By improving auditory input, hearing aids help combat hearing loss. This enables you to more confidently participate in social activities, enhancing your overall quality of life.

Learning how to effectively communicate with hearing aids is key to successful social interactions. As a new hearing aid user, consider the following communication strategies:

Get the speaker’s attention: This ensures you're prepared to listen and helps reduce missed information.
Face the speaker: Lip-reading and facial expressions are vital visual cues and important communication strategies for people with hearing loss. Facing the person speaking can significantly improve your ability to understand them.
Choose a quiet space: While new hearing aid technology in many modern devices helps reduce or eliminate background noise, it can still be a factor in some social situations. Opting for quieter environments can make for clearer conversations when you’re first starting out.
Ask for clarification: If you miss something, don't hesitate to ask the speaker to repeat or rephrase. Most people are more than happy to clarify. (Though, as you continue to adjust to your hearing aids, this should happen less and less often!)
Share your communication preferences: Inform others about your hearing needs. Simple adjustments, like sitting more closely, speaking clearly or reducing background noise can make a big difference.

Be a part of the conversation

Don't let hearing loss isolate you from the people and activities you love. Our advanced hearing aids can help restore your confidence in social settings. Schedule a free hearing test at your local Miracle-Ear and take the first step toward reconnecting with the world around you.

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Tips for socializing with your new hearing aids

Adapting to social scenarios with hearing aids takes time and practice. You might experience new hearing aid side effects or challenges at the beginning of your journey, but these can be easily overcome with time. Here are some hearing aid tips to help you begin your journey:

Start small by having conversations in calm, quiet environments. After living with hearing loss, you’ll hear more background and ambient noises when wearing hearing aids than you’re used to. So, starting by socializing in quieter environments allows you to adjust to new auditory experiences without getting overwhelmed by background noise.

While early on in your hearing loss communication journey, try initiating interactions with one person at a time. This more intimate conversation helps you concentrate on what’s being said, helping you gradually build confidence before moving to larger groups. It also gives you the opportunity to speak more candidly about your hearing loss and adjustment to wearing hearing aids, opening the door to better communication with loved ones.

As much as you feel comfortable, communicate openly about your hearing aids; this will help other people adopt effective communications strategies. Inform them of techniques that are helpful for you, such as gaining your attention before speaking, facing you directly and socializing in environments where you can minimize background noise.

Keep a journal of your experiences, so you can document challenges, successes and any difficulties you encounter during this adjustment period. This record will be valuable during follow-up appointments with your HCP.

Speaking of follow-up appointments, regular check-ins with your HCP are essential. These sessions allow for adjustments to the settings of your hearing aids and provide an opportunity to discuss any concerns or questions as they arise. With the Miracle-Ear Advantage, you get free lifetime aftercare and follow-up appointments, so don’t hesitate to make an appointment if you have questions or concerns.

Explore supplementary devices designed to enhance your hearing aids' functionality in specific situations. Hearing aid accessories like hearing aid remotes, remote microphones, phone or doorbell alerting devices, audio clips or TV streamers can improve sound quality in challenging environments.²

Aural rehabilitation (AR) is a popular approach to assessing and managing hearing loss. AR programs focus on creating supportive environments to address and reduce the impact of hearing loss on your communication, daily activities and social participation. Exploring these aural rehabilitation programs can help you grow your communication skills, adjust to your hearing aids and enhance your overall quality of life.³ Talk to your HCP to learn more about how Miracle-Ear can help you with this specialized training for your hearing.

Embracing hearing aids is a positive step toward reconnecting with the world around you—but adapting to your hearing aids takes time. Give yourself grace, be patient and remain flexible. With consistent use, support from loved ones and guidance from your HCP, you'll gradually become more comfortable with your hearing aids and regain your confidence in social situations. Before you know it, you’ll be navigating social situations with increased confidence and ease.

Find the right hearing solution for you

If you have questions about hearing aids options and what might be right for you, reach out to a Miracle-Ear hearing care professional today. And if you’re ready to explore prescription hearing aid options—or just want to book a free hearing test to determine if you’re experiencing hearing loss—schedule an appointment at your nearest Miracle-Ear location.

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Sources

¹ Shukla, Anusha, et al. “Hearing Loss, Loneliness, and Social Isolation: A Systematic Review.” Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, vol. 162, no. 5, 2020, pp. 622–633, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8292986/.

² National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. “Assistive Devices for People with Hearing, Voice, Speech, or Language Disorders.” National Institutes of Health, 7 Apr. 2023, https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/assistive-devices-people-hearing-voice-speech-or-language-disorders.

³ American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. “Aural Rehabilitation for Adults.” ASHA Practice Portal, https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/aural-rehabilitation-for-adults/. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.