When communicating with a resident who has hearing loss, which of the following actions should you avoid?

When communicating with a resident who has hearing loss, which of the following actions should you avoid?

• A. Raise the pitch of your voice
• B. Speak at eye level with the resident
• C. Slow your speech down
• D. Use a picture board

Answer: (A)

Raising the pitch of your voice is not helpful for someone with hearing loss. High-frequency sounds are often the first to be missed, and a higher-pitched voice can be harder to hear and understand. Instead, use a calm, clear, moderate volume, and enunciate each word. Facing the resident and speaking at eye level supports lip-reading and facial cues, while slowing your speech gives them time to process. Visual aids like a picture board provide extra ways to convey meaning when words are missed. So, the action to avoid is increasing the pitch of your voice.

Raising the pitch of your voice is not helpful for someone with hearing loss. High-frequency sounds are often the first to be missed, and a higher-pitched voice can be harder to hear and understand. Instead, use a calm, clear, moderate volume, and enunciate each word. Facing the resident and speaking at eye level supports lip-reading and facial cues, while slowing your speech gives them time to process. Visual aids like a picture board provide extra ways to convey meaning when words are missed. So, the action to avoid is increasing the pitch of your voice.