For many people with hearing loss, the holidays can be especially challenging. While large family gatherings offer a great chance to catch up with friends and family, holiday parties can lead to challenging listening situations for you if you have a hearing loss. In those big gatherings however, there are a lot of people which can increase the background noise.

Roughly 50% of the adults 50 or older in the United States have some kind of hearing loss or problem. One of the most important things is that is much easier to prevent hearing loss than it is to treat it.

What do you need to do to prepare for hearing loss?

Turn It Down

Background noise makes it harder to hear, especially when there are a lot of happy conversations and the sound of cutlery rattling against the dinner plates. When the noise increases, we all talk louder, and this will quickly escalate. That is a challenge for people with a hearing loss. Turn down the volume of background music so the general sound level is as low as possible. Also be sure to town down or turn off he TV or have it in another room.

The Right Seating

If you’re visiting family, sit in a corner, or with your back to the wall. This may help lessen the effect of the noise. One thing is certain sit as far as the kitchen as possible. Make sure the space is well lit so everyone can not only see each other, but the person who has a hearing problem can see everyone’s lips.

Watch more on more tips and what you can do to prevent hearing loss this holiday with Dr. Sowards below.

If you have questions on this blog or questions about hearing loss, please contact us today!