08/29/2026
Something I want families to understand, because it changes everything…
👉 When your parent goes quiet at a crowded dinner table, they are not being antisocial.
👉 When they laugh along with a story they clearly didn't follow, they are not being dismissive.
👉 When they ask you to repeat yourself, they are not being annoying.
👉 When they wave you off and say they’re fine, they might actually be exhausted.
Hearing loss doesn't feel the way most people expect it to from the outside. It isn't silence. It's an effort. Constant, invisible, exhausting effort. 😣 Just trying to follow a conversation in a loud restaurant can feel like you’re running a race no one else knows is happening.
It's laughing at the right moment because you caught a word or two and made your best guess, and praying nobody asks you to weigh in.
It's slowly, quietly, starting to prefer smaller gatherings. Shorter phone calls. Fewer situations where you might get it wrong.
When you understand what your parent is actually navigating, the conversation becomes less about convincing them of something and more about letting them know you see them.
If this sounds familiar, share this with someone who needs to read it. 👇
