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When you have a hearing loss, social gatherings can lead to challenging listening situations. This is no different at Christmas, perhaps even heightened. We have collated our top tips for you to have a read through. We hope these will help to prepare you to have the best possible hearing loss friendly Christmas.
Don’t forget your hearing aids!
Our number one top tip for a hearing loss friendly Christmas is to ensure you use your hearing aids! Christmas is a chaotic time of year and it would be easy to forget to pop in your aids. Digital hearing aids are more than just sound amplifiers, so they won’t just be making the carols louder. They’ll also filter out unwanted noises and help you to focus on speech. Background noise will be reduced and the aids will cut back on distortion. They are no use to you in the box, so get them out and get them in!
Lots of people will be staying away with family members so it’s important you remember to pack your hearing aids and accessories in their case and take them with you. Be sure to take spare batteries (if applicable), wax filters and domes with you. You should also take your cleaning kit with you. If you have rechargeable aids, ensure you remember to pack your charger (including the wire and plug!) and find a safe space to charge them each night.
Choose your seating wisely
If it’s your turn to host this year, you will be able to choose an appropriate space to eat. You can decide on the best place to set the table where it is not close to noisy appliances or speakers. A circle or rectangle table would be most advantageous as any people present with a hearing loss can sit themselves in the middle.
Choosing your seating wisely will benefit those with a hearing loss
If you are lucky enough to be heading to a restaurant for your Christmas dinner this year, call ahead and see if they have a hearing loop that your hearing aids can connect to. You can also request not to be sat too close to any speakers which may be playing background music.
Be mindful of background noise
Be aware of the background noise that can be easily created at Christmas
Background noise will make it harder for you to hear, especially when there are lively conversations, singing and noisy present unwrapping. When background noises increase, we naturally all talk louder to compensate which forces the conversation volume to quickly escalate. This will make the whole event noisier which can be challenging if you have a hearing loss. To make the most of these situations, you can try the following:
- Ensure the volume of background music isn’t too loud – everyone loves a Christmas classic but we need to be mindful of everyone in the room.
- Leave the dishes until later – clattering of kitchen dishes can create an awful lot of background noise to those with a hearing loss so leaving this until the party is over would be a real help.
- Turn off the TV – this noise can distract from conversation and make it harder for people to hear conversations.
If you think it’s time you got your hearing checked, please don’t hesitate to give us call. If you’re quick, we may even be able to squeeze you in before Christmas!
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