Next week is Thanksgiving! We’re looking forward to eating a delicious dinner surrounded by family and friends. We know, however, that the Thanksgiving dinner table can be a complicated setting for the almost 30 million people in the U.S. who need hearing aids. Conversations happening on all sides, clanking silverware and background noise can make communication difficult if you have hearing loss. Let’s discuss some strategies you can use to communicate confidently at the Thanksgiving table this year.
Don’t Fake It
If you’re struggling to follow a conversation, don’t bluff and nod along and pretend you heard when you didn’t. It’s much healthier to speak up and ask for a repeat. Be specific about what you need repeated: “I’m sorry, where did you travel to?” or “what did you say it looked like?” instead of a broad “what?”
We also recommend, if you’re comfortable, being up front about having hearing loss. This will set expectations for everyone, take the pressure away from you to pretend you’re following along, and hopefully encourage your conversational partner to consider your hearing as they speak.
If Background Noise Is an Issue, Ask
Thanksgiving parties can have a lot of background noise: music or audio from the TV, kids playing and kitchen appliances all create an overstimulating environment. If you’re struggling with background noise, don’t be afraid to ask the host to turn the music off or mute the TV, or ask your loved one to move your conversation to a quieter area. Take control of what you can.
Practice Active Listening
Maintain eye contact, face the person you’re speaking with directly and use nonverbal communication cues (like nodding or facial expressions) to show that you’re listening. Doing this will engage you more in the act of listening, helping you focus and pick up more of what they’re saying.
Speak Slowly and Clearly, and Encourage Others to Do the Same
When you have hearing loss, it can sound like everyone is mumbling, and you may have issues hearing people with higher-pitched voices. Asking everyone to enunciate a little more when speaking to you can help with those difficulties. Model this manner of speaking to them.
On the flip side, discourage others from raising their voice or shouting when speaking to you. Hearing loss is not as simple as feeling like the volume is turned down on everything; shouting doesn’t help you hear them better. In fact, it can distort sounds and imbue their words with aggression, making them harder to understand, not easier.
Wear Your Hearing Aids
Hearing aids can help alleviate many of the complications associated with a noisy environment. They amplify speech and suppress background noise, making communication in crowded spaces, such as a Thanksgiving dinner table, much easier. They’ve been shown to increase confidence in people who wear them and improve social relationships, perfect for Thanksgiving.
If you’re ready to begin your journey with hearing aids and get connected to the world of sound this holiday season, call Aaron's Hearing Aid & Audiology Center. Our expert audiologists will create a hearing loss treatment plan that fits your hearing needs. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.