Besides turkey, what do you think about when a person mentions Thanksgiving? Does the cooking and preparing with your family begin days before? While you follow grandma’s famous pecan pie recipe, will you reminisce with each other? Is it warm and cozy not just because of the aroma coming out of the oven, but because you’re together? Will you be laughing while the family enjoys hearing about your son’s grades or listening to the grandkids laugh and play. Or are you fighting to hear what everyone is talking about?
The holiday doesn’t have to be defined for you by hearing loss. From chatting over drinks at the company party to hearing the salesperson over the loud holiday shoppers, you can take control of how you enjoy the holidays this year. Hearing loss doesn’t need to hold you hostage. Consider some tricks that will help you to get the most out of the holidays despite your hearing loss.
At Holiday Gatherings
Get-togethers may be the most challenging for those with hearing loss. Here are some tricks that could make the experience less stressful:
- Some of the background noise can be prevented if you stand with your back to a wall.
- If there are any speakers which could interfere with your hearing aids, stand away from them. If the music is loud, ask someone to turn it down a bit so you can hear better, too.
- Enlist a hearing buddy, a friend who sits with you who can repeat important things you might have missed.
- Manage Your Expectations. It’s an impractical expectation to imagine that you will stroll into a party and find everything to be ideal. Things will be more challenging due to your loss of hearing. Don’t allow the difficulties to get you stressed out, just have a sense of humor about it.
- Maybe try going out of the room, even if just for a little while. It will allow your brain to have an opportunity to a rest.
- Find areas in the room that have better acoustics–maybe a quiet corner.
- In order to feel less isolated, request a seat near the center of the table.
- Give some visual cues of your own. You don’t need to point it out. Something as basic as cupping your hand behind your ear can tell someone you’re having a hard time.
- If you are sitting through a speech, ask friends to pass you notes rather than attempting to whisper in your ear.
- Visual clues should be carefully noted. If someone is looking right at you, they are probably speaking to you. If you didn’t hear what they said inform them.
Travel Tips
Hearing loss can make traveling more challenging but don’t allow that to get in your way. Here are a few tips to make your holiday travels go smoothly.
Flying or Taking the Train
If you prefer to fly or take a train, it can be hard to hear announcements over the intercom. If you would like to make the trip better there are a few things you can do. Checking if the airport or train station offers any special services for the hearing impaired is step one. They could have special signs that visually show oral announcements or apps you can download on your phone to see track changes or other critical information. They may even offer a sign language interpreter or priority boarding. If being close enough to lip read or ask questions is important, you can ask for priority seating. They might also offer to take you through a select line in security, too. You won’t know what is possible unless you ask, but do it a few weeks before your trip.
When you get on board, be certain the attendants are aware you have hearing loss. That way if you don’t reply when they ask if you want a drink, they will know to tap you on the shoulder to be sure.
Lodging Tips
When you reserve your hotel room, inform them you are hearing impaired. Many resorts have rooms or devices available for those with hearing loss like vibrating alarm clocks and phones that flash lights instead of ringing. Some places are set up with fire alarms that flash the lights, too, to improve your safety while you stay with them.
If You Are Traveling With Hearing Aids, Take These Essentials
If this is your first trip with your hearing aids, you might not be sure what you need to take with you. Some fundamentals to pack include:
- Extra batteries or a second charger
- A cleaning kit
- Additional accessories
Wear your hearing aids as you pass security. Removing them is not necessary. You can keep them on during an air flight, as well.
And if you don’t already have hearing aids, perhaps it’s time. There are features in modern hearing aids that will amplify sound while enhancing conversations and getting rid of background noise. The holidays come but once a year. Whether you have had hearing loss most of your life or are new to it, there is no reason the holidays shouldn’t be everything you remember. Make an appointment with your hearing care professional to learn what your hearing solutions are.