Thanksgiving is a joyous, chaotic and festive time as we all look forward to enjoying an excellent meal with our loved ones. For the over 28 million Americans who need hearing aids, however, that festive chaos presents some unique challenges. We know how hard it can be to navigate these situations, so we’ve compiled a guide of practical strategies to help you have the happy Thanksgiving you deserve with hearing aids.
Get a Hearing Checkup Before the Event
A quick hearing check-up before a major event is a great way to ensure your hearing aids are in good shape for the upcoming event. Take this opportunity to get them professionally cleaned and serviced, and update your audiogram if necessary. Your audiologist can use an updated audiogram to update your hearing aid settings, if necessary, setting you up for a clean listening experience.
Your audiologist can also work with you to create a personalized listening program tailored to your needs, especially during the holiday season. Listening to speech in noisy, crowded spaces is one of the most frustrating situations for hearing aid users; creating a program that is fine-tuned for background noise suppression and speech amplification will be a boon at Thanksgiving. An appointment with your audiologist also gives you the opportunity to discuss hearing aid accessories that might benefit you.
Use Hearing Aid Accessories
There are numerous accessories for hearing aids available that can be a real advantage in certain situations, such as noisy events in small spaces. Wireless microphones with Bluetooth® technology and assistive listening devices (ALDs) could make a massive difference for you at the dinner table. Discuss accessories like this with your audiologist to determine what might work for you.
You can also use phone apps, such as captioning apps or your hearing aids’ manufacturer’s app, to react to your hearing needs in the moment. Captioning apps provide fast, accurate, real-time captioning on your phone to help you follow along in conversations.
Microphone Tips
Use listening programs to your advantage. Many hearing aids come with a speech-in-noise setting designed to enhance listening in loud environments, as discussed above. Use noise reduction settings to filter out distracting background noise. You can also adjust the bass and treble levels in real-time to improve clarity; this may vary from person to person, as everyone’s voice is unique.
Communication Strategies
Communication can be difficult for both parties when one person has hearing loss, especially in loud spaces. Even with hearing aids, it’s critical to use proper communication strategies to make sure your point gets across. Try the following to maximize communication:
- Maintain eye contact and face the person you’re speaking with directly.
- Make sure you have the other person’s attention before starting a conversation.
- Speak slowly and clearly. Do not speak louder, as this can distort sound.
- Pause frequently—every sentence or two—to give the listener time to process what you said and ask for clarification if necessary.
Utilizing strategies like this will often encourage your conversation partner to mirror you, making communication easier for both of you.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving with Hearing Aids
Your hearing aids amplify speech, suppress background noise, curb mental exhaustion and boost your confidence. You will feel all these benefits as you gather with your family and loved ones this holiday season. We at South Valley Ear Nose & Throat – West Jordan wish you a very happy Thanksgiving and encourage you to use your hearing aids to their full potential.