Hearing loss can have major effects on your self-esteem and your social life. In fact, “Most multivariable-adjusted studies found that hearing loss was associated with higher risk of loneliness and social isolation.” While group settings are notoriously difficult listening situations for people with hearing loss, there are ways to communicate successfully. We review how below.
Restaurants
If you’re going to a dinner party at Tupelo Honey, try the following tips:
- Choose a restaurant with soft surfaces and good lighting.
- Visit the restaurant before or after the lunch or dinner rush.
- Ask to be seated in quiet corner away from the kitchen, bathrooms and waiter’s station.
- Sit in the middle of the table so you can see and hear everybody.
- Ask your waiter or waitress if the music can be turned down.
- Ask the person next to you to repeat information you missed.
- Don’t be afraid to ask people to rephrase what they said.
Family Get-Togethers
If you’re attending a family get-together, try these tips:
- Talk to the host in advance to tell them about your hearing loss and communication needs, like keeping any background music quiet.
- Bring a friend or ask a family member to stand with you and repeat information you may have missed.
- Find a quiet corner of the house or yard to have conversations with relatives you haven’t seen in a while.
- Choose a central seat so you can see everyone’s faces and hear what everyone has to say.
- Focus on what one person has to say rather than trying to keep up with multiple conversations at once.
Weddings
If you’re attending a wedding, try out the following tips:
- Communicate about your hearing loss in your RSVP, and make any accommodation requests that may be necessary, including asking for a seat near the front so you can hear the speeches.
- Bring an assistive listening device; some include microphones that can be passed around to different speakers so their voices can be streamed directly to your ears.
- Use a speech-boosting app, which works by turning your smartphone into a remote microphone for your earbuds or hearing aids, or try a live captioning app so you can follow along more easily.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call ENT Specialists Of Northern Virginia today.