It’s that time of year again—the holiday season. For many it’s a time of celebration, of reflecting with gratitude on the year that is ending, and for setting goals for the following year. For people with hearing loss, though, the holiday season can be a mixed blessing. We are excited to spend time with family and friends, but large celebrations are not always hearing-loss-friendly.
Still, there are ways to make the most of the holiday season, including our communication tool HEAR, which can help you to improve any difficult listening situation.
Your Hearing Loss Holiday Survival Guide
Many of these tips will work for seated dinners as well as cocktail parties. Please share your ideas in the comments.
Plan ahead
Like with all challenging listening situations, it is important to plan ahead.
- Contact the host a few weeks before the event to make any special requests like a particular seat at the table or setting up a zone for quiet conversation.
- Pack your technology tools and extra batteries. This may include loading speech-to-text apps onto your phone or bringing a remote microphone or other device.
- Consider hosting yourself so you have more control over the surroundings.
Self-identify and advocate for your needs
At the event self-identify and advocate for your communication needs.
- Find the optimal listening location for you. This may be in a central part of the table for a seated event or a relatively quiet section of the space at a cocktail party.
- Let people know about your hearing loss and provide specifics suggestions about how they can best communicate with you. The could include communication best practices like getting your attention first or speaking one at a time.
- Use visual cues like a hand behind the ear to indicate you are having trouble hearing. The speaker can adjust their volume and you won’t need to interrupt the flow of the conversation.
- It is easy to nod and pretend that you hear what others are saying, but it can be dangerous. Don’t fake it. Instead, ask for what you need to be part of the conversation.
Embrace all types of technology
Use assistive listening devices to assist in situations where your traditional devices are not enough.
- Try out a speech-to-text app to help you read what others say or utilize a remote microphone to bring the conversation directly into your ears.
- If the evening includes speeches, ask the host to provide a microphone or ask the speaker to wear your remote microphone.
Practice self-care
The holiday season is exciting but also stressful.
- Set aside time for yourself. Enjoy reading a book or sitting quietly to meditate. Self-care will pay dividends in your ability to concentrate and enjoy conversation.
- Listening fatigue is real. Take breaks during any event as needed to recharge your listening batteries and to give your eyes a rest. Mindful breathing can also help you reset and restore.
- Have reasonable expectations. You likely won’t hear everything, but that is ok. Enjoy talking to the people seated near you or invite a small group to a quieter part of the room to talk.
- Focus on gratitude. It can be hard to stay positive when you feel left out of the fun, but focusing on what you are grateful for instead of what you are missing can be helpful. Enjoy the warmth of the family and friends around you, even if you don’t catch every word.
For more Hearing Hacks, read Hear & Beyond: Live Skillfully with Hearing Loss.
Readers, what tips and tricks do you use to enjoy the holiday season with hearing loss?
Related Posts
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!
