“When someone in the family has a hearing issue, the entire family has a hearing problem.” This is a famous quote in my line of work from Dr. Mark Ross.
Holiday gatherings are a time for connection and togetherness, but sometimes hearing loss can get in the way of fully enjoying these moments. Whether you have hearing aids or not, these tips can help you enjoy your gatherings during this upcoming holiday season.
Turn off the background noise
While it’s enjoyable to have music or special programs on in the background, it can really hinder people with hearing loss from hearing their loved ones clearly. Consider keeping it at a low volume, or only in certain sections of the gathering. For example, maybe only have music playing in the foyer when you walk in, or only have it playing one or two songs at a time.
If you plan on watching a movie or holiday program with family, consider purchasing a sound bar to make sure the sound is coming out of the front of the TV instead of the back (where television speakers normally are these days). There are also portable sound amplifiers that could be placed near the loved one(s) with hearing loss.
Pay attention to lighting
When gathering in person or virtually, both the lighting and seating arrangements are important. Whether we realize it or not, we all use visual cues to help us hear and understand speech—reading lips and seeing body language and facial expressions are important parts of conversations. Consider the lighting in the gathering space and make sure it’s bright enough to be able to see each other clearly. Also, consider a circular seating arrangement to help see everyone a little better.
Plan ahead
I know in our family, we like to play a lot of games at our gatherings! We play all different games and sometimes we need to explain the rules to the group and have found that difficult at times. Consider printing out rules ahead of time and handing them out prior to the start of the games. This will help avoid any confusion or embarrassment from not hearing the rules.
General Tips
When it comes to dealing directly with someone with hearing loss, there are several ways you can make communicating easier for them:
- Get their attention first to make sure their brains are ready to listen! Sometimes we miss the first few words of a sentence because we aren’t always aware the conversation is directed at us.
- Face them directly and rephrase, don’t just repeat. If you notice someone is having a difficult time hearing you, try to be patient with your loved one and speak directly towards them and rephrase, not repeat, what you were originally saying to them. Some words are harder than others to understand, so try not to repeat the exact phrase to avoid possible difficult words. For example, the word “fish” has a lot of non-voiced sounds in it, so it can be difficult to understand. If you asked someone if they would like fish for dinner, but they did not understand you, try asking it a different way, such as “what you would like to eat for dinner?” instead.
- Make sure you’re in the same space. It’s important not to try to talk to someone with hearing loss from a different room.
Consider hearing aids
Ideally, if you have a loved one with hearing loss coming for a holiday gathering, they would consider getting hearing aids beforehand. While they do not make hearing perfect, they can help a tremendous amount, especially for background noise and other dynamic listening situations.
Most hearing care offices will offer free hearing tests and risk-free trials so you can start hearing your best today! If you have recently purchased new hearing aids, be sure to try them out in a noisy environment prior to your gatherings to make sure they are set up optimally for you! Hearing aids are very adjustable and customizable, so be sure to talk to your provider about any concerns you may have before your events and enjoy hearing your loved ones!
Happy Holidays from all of us at HearingLife!