The holiday season has arrived. And with it comes plenty of opportunities to gather together with family, friends, and other loved ones to celebrate being together. Whether your at home or out an about this season, enjoying the holidays with hearing loss can be made better if you take a few considerations in mind.
To make the holidays the utmost enjoyable for someone you know or love with hearing loss, make sure you set up an environment that is most conducive to aid in their hearing so that they and the ones around them can fully connect at that moment.
Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind
Take Noise Levels Into Consideration When You’re Out And About
If you’re doing some holiday shopping, consider going on a weekday and an appropriate time of day when there is less traffic out at the stores. Shopping at this time will help keep noise levels at a minimum so you and your loved ones can experience the best shopping trip possible with minimal stress caused by difficult hearing.
Likewise, when dining out, considering going during off-peak hours and choose restaurants that don’t feature an open dining design. The more compartmented and upholstered the restaurant is, the more conducive to hearing it will be. This will enable you and your loved ones to have a stress free conversation where all words and everyone can be heard.
Set Up Holiday Celebrations For Success
If you’re having a get together in your home, keep those who have hearing loss in mind. Keeping them in mind can easily be done by keeping background noise at a minimum. While holiday music is beautiful, turn the volume to a low setting so that it does not interfere with everyone’s ability to participate in a conversation.
Before the party mentally catalog all those things in your home that contribute to background noise. These contributions include the dishwasher, the laundry machines if they are nearby, garage equipment, yard work being done at a particular time, etc. If you plan to have a game on during your get together such as football on Thanksgiving day, put it on in another room so that friends or family who have a harder time hearing don’t have to struggle over it.
Keep Your Home Bright
Another way to assist someone who lives with hearing loss is to keep your home well lit during get-togethers. A well-lit home will help that person see precisely who is speaking and focus in on them to pick up appropriate body language and read lips if necessary.
Pay Attention To Your Guests
If your hearing impaired guests are having a hard time hearing, they may not let you know they are struggling. Keep them in mind throughout the get-together. See if they are having an easy time conversating, or if they are sitting alone instead. Depending on the severity of your guest’s hearing loss you may want to keep other people mindful to speak clearly and rephrase when necessary so that all of your guests can feel included in the conversation.
