It’s that time of year- chilly weather, hot chocolates, holiday lights, and family gatherings! While this is a magical time for many, individuals with hearing loss may find it to be stressful. Dynamic listening situations, such as sitting at a crowded table for supper, may prove to be quite challenging even for individuals with normal hearing. An individual with hearing loss can begin to feel left out or isolated, and they may begin to disengage/distance themselves from the conversation.
To provide our patients with better hearing for the holidays, a 10% discount is offered during the month of December to each of our hearing aid treatment plans for those without hearing aid insurance benefits. Our treatment plans not only include the hearing devices themselves, but they also include our services such as the hearing aid walk-in clinic and scheduled appointments with your audiologist. Regular visits will ensure that you are receiving maximum benefit from your hearing aids.
It is of note that although hearing aids are wonderful tools to assist individuals in perceiving and accessing speech, there are still strategies to be utilized in effort to bridge the gap in conversation that we especially keep in mind during the holiday season. A few strategies we can use to improve comprehension include:
- Conversing in a well-lit area. Great lighting will improve the individuals’ ability to receive visual cues during conversation. This includes general body language and lip-reading.
- Gaining the attention of the individual prior to speaking. Calling one’s name prior to conversing with them will help them hear the statement from the beginning. Without having their attention prior to speaking, the individual may come into the conversation halfway and they may not have the context required to make sense of the message. Alternatively, they may not realize that they are being spoken to.
- Rephrase rather than repeat. If an individual with hearing loss was unable to understand the initial message, rephrasing may be beneficial for them. For example, “we’re headed to the store to grab ingredients for supper” can be rephrased to “we don’t have everything we need to make dinner tonight, so we’re going to the grocery store.”
- Be mindful to include everyone in the conversation. It is discouraging and can be isolating to hear “I’ll tell you later”, “it wasn’t important”, etc. Keep everyone included by repeating, or re-phrasing, what was missed in conversation.
These strategies are important to keep in mind when communicating with individuals who have hearing loss. Treatment of hearing loss will assist individuals with accessing speech, though it is our obligation to improve their understanding through the use of communication strategies. For those with untreated hearing loss, schedule a consultation today to see if hearing aids may be right for you or a loved one during this holiday season.
Happy Holidays from the JHBI team!