I have difficulty hearing in group and individual conversations. How can I fix this?

Everyone’s hearing is unique, so it would be best to ask this question in person to your local provider, who can offer counseling and care based on your individual hearing profile. That said, the difficulty you describe could have several different causes. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Your specific degree of hearing loss may be difficult to fully correct. In some cases, the part of the ear that perceives high frequencies may be damaged to the point where your hearing loss can’t be corrected with hearing aids. This can make it difficult to understand speech in some cases.
2. You may need a different level of technology to meet the needs of your specific lifestyle. If you are often in noisy situations, such as restaurants, different hearing aids may be more effective in dealing with these environments than your current ones.
3. If you’ve had your hearing aids for a few years, you may be due to have your hearing aids reprogrammed. It’s a good idea to have your hearing checked periodically by your hearing care provider.  If your hearing has changed at all, your provider may simply be able to reprogram your hearing aids or offer you another solution.

Another suggestion is to encourage your friends and family members to develop habits that will make it easier for you to understand them. Instead of speaking louder, ask them to slow down. Hearing loss isn’t just a volume issue. When you have hearing loss, the brain doesn’t process sounds as well as it used to. Just slowing down a little can help a lot with comprehension.