Bemidji, MN
(218) 333-8833
Cloquet, MN
(218) 499-6241
Duluth, MN
(218) 623-1045
Hermantown, MN
(218) 623-6670
Superior, WI
(715) 718-3355

Tips for Easier Holiday Communication When You Have Hearing Loss

There’s a lot to be thankful for around Thanksgiving, and a table filled with roast turkey, creamy mashed potatoes and fresh green beans is just the start. With the food comes lots of family fun and shared stories you don’t want to miss. If you have hearing loss, that holiday connection may feel a little harder to grasp, but it isn’t impossible.

Let’s take a look at a few Thanksgiving challenges for people with hearing loss and what you can do to have the best holiday yet.

Communication Challenges

Family of different generation spending time on Christmas time

There are a few things that can make holiday communication more difficult:

  1. Background noise. People with hearing loss struggle to separate speech from background noise. The clatter of dishes, festive background music and Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV create a distracting atmosphere that can interfere with communication.
  2. Overlapping voices. When people talk over each other, it can be difficult to follow one train of thought, leaving you lost in the conversation.
  3. Lack of visual cues. When people talk to each other from different rooms or cover their mouths while speaking during dinner, they remove essential visual cues that people with hearing loss rely on to fill in context. The added obstacles of low lighting, long tables and big centerpieces make understanding speech even harder.

While Thanksgiving has its challenges, there are ways you can accommodate your hearing loss to enjoy your holiday to the fullest.

Communication Tips

Effective communication tips help you reconnect with your loved ones. Try a few of the following:

  • Minimize background noise. Avoid background distractions like a loud TV or radio. If guests want to watch the parade or the big game, consider turning the sound down and using subtitles. You can also provide children with plastic plates and silverware to reduce unnecessary clinking.
  • Ask for rephrasing. Because hearing loss typically affects specific frequencies, repeating a sentence may not aid comprehension. If you don’t understand what someone said, ask them to rephrase themselves or offer context.
  • Face each other. Not only is it good manners to look at the person you’re speaking to, but it also helps you understand them better! Ask others to look at you while they’re speaking and swap tall table decorations for shorter options, such as a cornucopia or candles from Lake Escape Candle Co., to ensure a clear sightline.
  • Wear your hearing aids. Hearing aids aren’t necessarily a communication tip, but they’re a crucial communication tool. Before any big event, charge your devices or check that their disposable batteries have enough juice. Next, clean them thoroughly using their hearing aid cleaning kit and verify that the programming matches the busy setting.

Your holiday season can be just as magical as ever, regardless of your hearing loss. For more information on managing hearing loss, contact Hearing Wellness Center today.