Family Finds a Unique Way to Communicate with 95-Year-Old Grandmother Who Refuses to Wear Hearing Aid (Exclusive)

• Katie Contreras’ 95-year-old grandmother’s hearing began to decline after she contracted COVID in 2021
• In an effort to communicate with their aging loved one, who refuses to wear hearing aids, Katie and her mom, Ruth, decided to use a microphone to speak with her
• The clip of Ruth speaking to her mother via “Britney mic” has since gone viral on TikTok

When a 95-year-old grandmother refused to wear a hearing aid, her family found an unexpected solution that has since gone viral on TikTok.

The popular clip, shared by granddaughter Katie Contreras and now at almost 6 million views, was captioned “My grandma refuses to wear a hearing aid… so my mom got a ‘Britney mic.’ ” In the video, Katie’s mom, Ruth, wears a headset microphone while speaking to her mother, who listens through a speaker next to her.

“Grandma has always been about her looks,” Katie explains exclusively to PEOPLE. “She’s always been ‘that girl.’ So for her, wearing a hearing aid would absolutely be out of the question and ruin her look.”

The family first noticed a decline in their matriarch’s hearing in 2021 after she contracted COVID. Ruth recalls how communication became increasingly difficult, and she often had to repeat herself at a high volume.

Initially, Ruth considered repurposing an old karaoke machine to help her mom, but couldn’t find the microphone that came with it. That’s when Katie suggested the now-viral “Britney mic,” inspired by a Halloween costume she had worn years earlier.

“I found one on Amazon and sent my mom the link,” Katie says. “It’s the first thing that came to mind because I had used it before and knew how well it worked.”

Surprisingly, her grandmother’s reaction to the microphone was positive. Ruth shares, “Mom actually thought it was funny and couldn’t believe that we came up with the idea!” This lighthearted approach has made communication easier for the family, with Katie adding, “It’s definitely made a difference. Grandma can hear clearly and Mom doesn’t need to be constantly repeating things.”

Despite the success of this creative workaround, the family continues to encourage the elderly woman to consider hearing aids. “We have convinced her to maybe go check them out since we showed her one that ‘hides’ in her ear,” Ruth shares.

But, their grandmother remains resistant, feeling that hearing aids would be “a nuisance and will be beeping or somehow bothersome to her,” Ruth adds.

Nonetheless, this compromise has worked, and taught Katie a lesson in the process.

“I think having patience is key. And just accepting the fact that things will need to be repeated and I’ll have to raise my voice is something to be expected when Grandma is around,” she shares.

Katie’s decision to post this moment on TikTok was spontaneous, as most of her content is dedicated to her travels and other adventures (though she’s since posted more family content). “This was my first video of Grandma, and she’s gotten more views than any of my other content! She’s a hit,” she says. “People love Grandma.”

However, a handful of commenters have mentioned a link between untreated hearing loss and dementia, “which I wasn’t aware of before,” Katie says.

As Katie and her family continue to figure out how to accommodate their grandmother, she offers advice for other families facing similar challenges.

“I hope families who are also dealing with hearing loss with family members know they’re not alone in how to care for our aging loved ones,” Katie shares. “The frustration that can come along with it is normal and completely valid. But, you just have to think outside the box and make things fun for all involved.”