There’s a lot to consider when planning a holiday party. You have to buy food, try to remember who has allergies, put up the decorations, pick the music and maybe plan a few games. If you have guests with hearing loss, you also need to think about how to create a hearing-friendly environment.
Why Does the Party Environment Matter for People With Hearing Loss?
People with hearing loss have to work a little harder to understand speech, especially in noisy environments. While hearing aids help by amplifying speech to match volume and frequency needs, the added noise and low visual cues at a crowded party can still make communication overwhelming. Fortunately, there are several ways you can help.
How To Create a Hearing-Friendly Environment
When creating a hearing-friendly environment for your next holiday party, maintaining a low noise level and good sightlines is key. Try the following:
- Lower the music or place the speaker in a different room.
- Keep the TV off during dinner, or lower the volume and turn on subtitles if someone wants to watch.
- Make sure each room is well-lit so people can see each other.
- Assign seating so guests with hearing loss are centrally located or sitting next to the people they’re most likely to talk to.
- Encourage your guests to talk at a low volume and avoid talking over each other.
- Set up a quiet area where your guests can take breaks if they feel overwhelmed.
- Spread the party into multiple rooms so people can form smaller groups.
- Do all the cooking before the party starts to minimize distracting kitchen sounds, like clanging pots and oven timers.
- Repeat or rephrase yourself when your guests don’t understand what you just said.
In addition to the above tips, feel free to ask your friend with hearing loss if they need any assistance. They may have their own methods of communication, and it’s essential to make space.
When you invite your friend to the party, you could ask, “Is there anything I can do to make the night more fun for you?” or, if you’re sending out an email or text invitation, leave a spot at the bottom for special requests. That way, your guests have the space to ask for help without feeling on the spot.
An estimated 15% of U.S. adults have hearing loss. Learning how to accommodate your guests with hearing loss is an essential step in party planning. For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our hearing specialists, contact ENT Specialists Of Northern Virginia today.