The holiday season is here along with an increase in social celebrations both large and small. Whether it’s attending large gatherings in restaurants, neighborhood cocktail parties, family gatherings, or religious events, communication challenges exist in each varied environment which can create stress and frustration.
With approximately 37.5 million adults reporting some trouble hearing, chances are you know someone who is managing these situations and could use some support to feel less lost or more connected.
After interviewing several real people living with hearing loss of varying degrees, we can share some tips that might help improve social events for your loved one this season. In large gatherings, it can feel redundant to mention your hearing challenges in every interaction and having someone providing support in a dignified way can make all the difference. Below are some tips that will help you provide support.
"Don't assume if we can hear at one event, we will hear the same way at another," says Joan. "I can be at one restaurant and be able to hear, but there are other places where it's so loud I can hardly understand anyone."
What might you notice?
How can you discreetly help?
2. Our hearing ability can depend on the speaker
"There are certain people in my family, who are "low talkers", says Dick, "I have a particularly hard time understanding them regardless of the situation." Some people speak more quietly, don't enunciate, or simply have a voice that does not work well with one's own unique hearing loss.
What might you notice?
How you can discreetly help:
3. We might need a recap afterward
"Whether I am at an event with a significant other, my sister, or a friend, I always make sure we have what I call a download afterward", says Kristi. "This is when I chat one on one with whomever I went with to clarify that I understood correctly in our conversations. We fill in the blanks because I usually miss a few things. This helps me feel connected and aware of the important things, and it's also fun ".
What you might notice:
What can you do?
These tips will help you provide support to your loved one or your friend and will also enhance your social skills. Remember, we are tired of listening after these events, so allow us to recharge. Sometimes we just know an event or location is going to be especially hard, so try to understand when we prefer to skip these events.
Having a friend or loved one that understands and can provide support like this makes a huge difference and can really improve our connections.