Would you like to feel confident when calling to order a pizza or make a doctor’s appointment? Talking on the phone can be a challenge for people with hearing loss and texting is not always a solution.
Being able to communicate on the phone is crucial – whether it’s talking to family who live far away, conducting business or personal banking, making medical appointments, or connecting with friends. It can also be a lifeline in situations where personal safety is at risk.
Simple, regular practice activities can help improve your listening skills and reduce the stress of using the telephone.
1. Choose a practice partner
Start with someone you know well and whose voice is familiar, to help you recognize what they say.
2. Start in a quiet area
If you can hear too much background noise, ask your practice partner to call you from a quieter location. Taking calls in different rooms of your home can also help vary your experience.
3. Get to know your device
There are different ways to use your technology for phone calls:
- Streaming directly from a compatible smartphone can provide a clearer signal. Streaming is possible with all our most recent sound processors, including Cochlear™ Nucleus® 8 and Osia® 2 sound processors.
- If you hold the phone up to your sound processor, make sure it is positioned correctly. If you are using the telecoil, reduce interference by moving away from electronic items, such as computers and fluorescent lights.
- You can also consider using speaker mode if you are in a private setting.
4. Plan your calls
Start with calls 2-3 times a week and build up from there. Choose a different topic each time to expand your vocabulary and keep calls short to avoid fatigue. A few minutes each day is all you need to make a difference!
5. Include video calls
Video calls are common, so include these for practice as well. Visual cues will make video calls easier, so start with closed captions and switch them off as your confidence grows.
6. Start with simple conversations
Start with simple conversations so you don’t have to rely on lipreading.:
- “How are you feeling today?”, “Wait just a minute”, or “I’ll see you later!”
- Your family’s names, places you frequently visit, months of the year.
- Booking a restaurant or meeting a friend in a café or at the movies.
Repeat back what the other person says and focus on key words to follow the conversation.
7. Plan a call with a simple inquiry
When you need to phone a business, build confidence by asking a question you may know the answer to.
- Call a shop to ask about opening hours: “Hello, can you please tell me what time your store closes today?”
- Place a phone order that is predictable for example, ordering food. Before calling, practice:
– Your greeting
– Talking about your order
– How you will pay
– If you will collect or prefer home delivery
8. Vary your activities
Listen to unfamiliar speakers on YouTube, TED Talks, audiobooks, or social media, as these focus on speech without background music.
9. Build up to more complex listening
- Email recipes or children’s stories for your practice partner to read over the phone and repeat the passage.
- Ask them to share 10 things about themselves and repeat them back. For example: “I have brown hair, I have two children, my favourite hobby is soccer, etc.”
- Ask them to describe their environment and repeat back.
10. If you don’t understand
Always repeat back as much as you can: “Did you say…?” and ask them to say it a different way if you need them to. Avoid saying: ‘I can’t understand you,’ ‘I didn’t get that,’ or just ‘Sorry?” Your partner will likely just talk more loudly, which may sound distorted. Ask them to speak slower and make it clear to you when the subject changes.
11. Initiate phone calls
To remove telephone stress, initiate calls yourself so you can prepare. Above all, don’t avoid the phone. Most hearing implant recipients who are confident phone users speak on the phone every day. By persisting with these simple techniques, you will soon boost your confidence and stop worrying whenever the phone rings.
