Healthy hearing vital for healthy relationships
13 February 2025
Over one-in-three Aussies say their partner’s hearing loss makes communication difficult, new research shows
More than one-in-three Australians who have a partner with hearing loss say it makes communication difficult, new research¹ from Hearing Australia has revealed. And as Valentine’s Day approaches, Hearing Australia says the best ‘gift’ for couples would be for those with hearing loss to get help.
“Communication is key to a healthy relationship,” says Karen Hirschausen, Principal Audiologist with Hearing Australia. “But if one partner can’t hear well and misunderstands what is being said, it will cause a breakdown in communication.”
According to the Hearing Australia research, around one-in-three respondents who have a partner with hearing loss reported feeling frustrated, while one-in-eight said it causes tension because their partner refuses to get help. The research also showed that one-in-eight respondents say their partner’s mishearing often causes arguments.
“A person’s hearing loss can impact day-to-day communication with family and friends and result in their partner feeling frustration, resentment, embarrassment and distress2. Taking action can help improve personal relationships as well as broader workplace and social engagement,” adds Karen.
Karen says when hearing loss is left unaddressed, it also increases the likelihood of poorer physical, psychological and social wellbeing in their partner3. “Often, both those with hearing loss and their partners withdraw from social settings and events because communication becomes difficult4,” she explains. “It can also lead to people distancing themselves from their partners5.”
Karen says addressing the issue is critical and family members can play a vital role. “Families, particularly partners, often play a critical role in making people aware of their hearing loss and urging them to have a hearing assessment. Partners are frequently the first to make the person experiencing hearing loss aware of the issue,” she says.
And often there is a simple solution. “Hearing aids improve communication and help overcome the challenges of hearing loss,” explains Karen. “According to our survey, 86 per cent of respondents think hearing aids would have a significant impact on their lives if they had hearing problems.”
Hearing Australia client, 73-year-old Daryl from the NSW Hunter region, says there were signs he was struggling to hear – including miscommunication with his wife Christine. But it wasn’t until he had a hearing assessment and was fitted with hearing aids that he realised all the sounds he was missing in his life.
“There were signs I was struggling to hear, like not always hearing my wife, especially when she was speaking to me from another room, which she found frustrating,” Daryl says.
“Since getting hearing aids, I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my hearing in all aspects of my life and Christine has noticed a difference too. I work in hospitality which can get quite noisy at times. I also play bowls and enjoy going out. I’m able to adjust my hearing aids based on the environment I’m in. I wear my hearing aids every day; they’ve just become part of me now.”
Kim Terrell, Hearing Australia’s Managing Director adds: “Hearing loss can be devastating and it’s not something you and your partner just ‘have to live with’. If you have a hearing loss, you need to act. There are many simple and affordable options and hearing aid technology has evolved massively in recent years. My hearing aids have made a huge difference to me and getting help can be life changing.”
*Conditions apply under the Australian Government Hearing Services Program.
References:
¹Antenna, an independent consumer research agency on behalf of Hearing Australia, conducted an online AntennaPoll survey of n=1,012 Australians. The survey was conducted between September 5 and 8, 2024. The survey data collection was national, and respondents were sourced using an accredited online research access panel. Data was weighted for representation against the 2021 ABS Census.
2The Hearing Review. ‘Hearing Loss as a Social Problem: A Study of Hearing-impaired Spouses and Their Hearing Partners’. 2019. https://hearingreview.com/hearing-loss/patient-care/hearing-loss-as-a-social-problem. 2. Echalier M. RNID. In it Together: The impact of hearing loss on personal relationships
3’Impact of self-assessed hearing loss on a spouse: a longitudinal analysis of couples’. Margaret I. Wallhagen, William J. Strawbridge, Sarah J. Shema, George A. Kaplan. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Volume 59, Issue 3, May 2004, pages S190-S196.
4 University of Nottingham. "Is your partner's hearing loss driving you mad?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 6 October 2017. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171006085924.htm.
5Hallberg, RM and Barrenas M, ‘Living with a male with noise-induced hearing loss: experiences from the perspective of spouses.’ British Journal of Audiology, 1993, 27, pp.255-261.
