The holidays are here! While it’s wonderful to see family and friends this time of year, more people = more noise. Multiple speakers, the sound of dishes, holiday music, and other background noise can make it incredibly difficult to understand speech. You may notice that your family and friends with hearing loss struggle to keep up or limit their participation in conversation. Here are some tips to help keep your loved ones with hearing loss socially engaged during the holiday season:
- Seat them where they have the best chance of hearing- the head of the table may allow for seeing everyone’s faces
- Make sure there is adequate lighting
- Speak clearly
- Take turns while talking
- Reiterate key information and make it clear when the conversation is changing topic
- Don’t be afraid to ask for repetition or clarity
Happy holidays, from the Center for Audiology Services!