The holidays are here, and that means everybody gathers and celebrates. This can be tough for those with hearing loss, because it becomes an obvious problem that not many know how to deal with. But you can help them using a little patience and knowhow. Just take a look at the suggestions from Kevin Hand, owner of Zounds Hearing of Crown Point and Valparaiso.
Make a conscious effort to face and make direct eye contact with a person who has hearing loss.
“This helps tremendously. Those with hearing loss struggle to a much greater degree when they’re unable to see the face of the person speaking to them,” Hand said.
Individuals with hearing issues don’t want to be a burden to their families so they will withdraw from gatherings and family events. Be sure to make it a point to include them. Isolation like this can lead to greater problems like dementia.
Some things you can do to make things easier for your loved one to be included are:
- Don’t chew gum or cover your mouth when you speak to them. This makes it hard for them to read lips.
- Try using plastic plates instead of the fine China for dinner this year. This is a quieter option that will interfere less with dinner conversation.
- Seat loved ones with hearing loss with their backs to the window. This way, the light shining in won’t bother their eyes when they are trying to read lips. If the seating arrangement can’t be done, then shut the blinds or draw the curtains.
- Eliminate background noise by turning off the TV or stereo.
And if someone you love is struggling with their hearing, talk to them about it.
“If you suspect a loved one is struggling with their hearing, talk to them about having a hearing evaluation done. The longer someone goes with an untreated hearing loss, the more difficult it is to remedy when they finally do decide to seek treatment," Hand said.
For more information on how you or a loved one can get help with hearing loss, call Zounds of Crown Point at (219) 525-4139 or Zounds of Valparaiso at (219) 286-7662.