The holidays can be a stressful time for our loved ones with hearing loss. Most patients identify listening in background noise as the hardest situation for speech understanding. Hearing aids are beneficial in improving hearing in background noise to a degree, but many patients continue to report difficulty, resulting in withdrawal and lack of enjoyment of social activities. Here are some helpful tips to use to give our loved ones the best chance of understanding the conversation:
- Minimize background noise as much as possible—turn off music, avoid conversations in the kitchen while cooking, etc.
- Situate the patient with their back to most of the noise
- Converse in a well-lit place and be sure to not cover your face—visual cues aid in speech understanding
- Speak slightly slower rather than shouting—louder is not always better
Visit your audiologist for updated hearing aid programming ahead of family events to maximize listening potential!
