Summer season is a great time for celebrations that
bring family and friends together. During these get togethers, it’s likely that
at least one of the attendees may have hearing loss. Making sure they’re
included in all the festivities requires some planning based on a few common sense
rules.
If you are hosting the party:
- Separate the noise from the conversation. Try to place the excitable sports
fans and children in a separate room or area of the yard. This allows
guests who want to dig into a juicy conversation the freedom to do so with
limited background noise.
- Monitor the music. Turn it down or off, especially during
the meal. Music playing in the background can be a real challenge
- Prepare the room. Brighten the dining room as much as possible, and keep table
decorations or centerpieces under 12 inches in height. This helps lip
readers maintain an effective line of sight and allows eye contact across
the table.
- Arrange seating to accommodate guests with hearing loss. Seat them so they can see as many
people as possible. Seat them as far as possible from the kids’ table and
the kitchen.
- Do not clear the dishes until everyone is done eating. The disruption can be a real
concern. Clanking dishes and shifting sight lines can be very difficult
for your guests with hearing loss.
If you are a guest with hearing loss, keep in mind these tips from the
AARP:*
- Talk to the host ahead of time. Discuss where you would like to be seated. Ask for the music
to be turned down or off during the meal.
- Reserve a strategic spot at the table. Arrive early to pick out the best
seat and claim it with a coat or bag. Stay far away from the noises in the
kitchen. It also helps if you put your back towards the noise; the way our
ears are shaped are meant to help channel sound sources directly in front
of us. Also, hearing aids have directional microphones that will best
capture sounds in front of you, cutting out more of the noise behind you.
- Get a boost from technology. There are several different types of accessories that you can use alongside your
hearing aids to help you manage in a loud environment. For example, you
can use the SoundClip-A as a remote microphone to help amplify sound in a
crowded room or at a large dinner table.
- Commandeer the couch. The kitchen, food area, and bar tend to be crowded and loud.
Invite someone to sit on a sofa with you to chat. The couch provides an
acoustic baffle, and the seated position will also help keep other
distracting conversations above your ear level.
- Take turns sharing. At the dinner table, it’s easier to hear when people talk one at a
time. One way to encourage taking turns is to ask everyone to share what
they are most thankful for from the day or the year.
- Use a classic visual cue. Instead of interrupting the flow of conversation, let others
know you’re having trouble hearing by holding a cupped hand behind your
ear. It will send a silent signal for people to speak up, and it will help
direct sound into your ear.
- Don’t bluff. Don’t
nod and pretend you can hear what’s going on if you can’t. Be honest about
your hearing loss and people will usually accommodate you.
If you or a loved one find it difficult to understand other people during
holiday gatherings, it may be time to have your hearing tested by a
professional. Find a hearing care center near you today and get the evaluation and treatment you
need. Do it before the holiday season is over so that you can start
making Everyday Sounds Better.
Reference:
* Michelle Crouch, “Handling Hearing Loss at
the Holidays,” AARP
website, Posted December 13, 2017.
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