Don’t Let Hearing Loss Stop You From Having Fun This Holiday Season

Besides turkey, what do you think about when a person talks about Thanksgiving? Does the cooking and preparing with the family begin days before? While you are following grandma's famous pecan pie recipe, will you reminisce with each other? It's warm and relaxing because you are together, and a yummy aroma is wafting from the oven. While the family laughs about your son’s latest dating adventure or listens to the grandkids laugh and put on a holiday play, will you be enjoying with them? Or are you struggling to catch the punchline of every joke?

Loss of hearing doesn't have to define the holiday season for you. From talking 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 season. You don't need to be held hostage by hearing loss. Consider some tricks that will allow you to enjoy the holidays despite your hearing loss.

At Holiday Get-Togethers

For people with hearing loss, parties could be the biggest challenge. Here are some tricks that could make the experience less stressful:

• If there are any speakers that could interfere with your hearing aids, stand away from them. Don't be shy about asking the host to turn the music down so you can hear better.
• Pay attention to the visual clues. Someone is most likely speaking to you if they are looking right at you. Inform them that you didn't hear what they said.
• Find places in the room that have better acoustics–maybe a quiet corner.
• If listening to a speech, ask friends to pass you notes rather than trying to whisper in your ear.
• Use visual clues to let others know what is happening. You don't have to point it out. Something as basic as cupping your hand behind your ear can tell someone you're struggling.
• Enlist a hearing buddy, a friend who sits with you who can repeat important things you might have missed.
• Some of the background noise can be blocked if you stand with your back to a wall.
• Ask for a seat at the middle of the table so you don't feel so isolated.
• Perhaps try stepping out of the room, even if just for a while. Some time for the brain to rest and recover will be extremely helpful.
• Manage Your Expectations. It's an unrealistic expectation to think that you will stroll into a party and find everything to be ideal. Things will be more challenging because of your loss of hearing. Don't allow the challenges to stress you out, just use a sense of humor about it.

Travel Tips

Don't permit the obstacles of hearing loss to stop you from traveling. Here are some recommendations to help make your holiday travels go smoothly.

Taking The Train or Flying

If you prefer to fly or ride the rails, it can be hard to hear announcements over the speaker. If you want to make the trip better there are some things that can be done. Start off by checking with the airport to see if they offer any special services for the hearing impaired. 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 also provide priority boarding, for example, or a sign language interpreter if you require one. If being close enough to lip read or ask questions is essential, you can ask for priority seating. They might also offer to take you through a select line in security, too. Be sure to inquire a few weeks before you go if you want to find out what is offered.

When you board, be certain the attendants know 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

If you are staying at a hotel, let them know you are hearing impaired when you set your reservation. 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 may not be certain what you need to take with you. Pack these essentials:

• Additional accessories
• A cleaning kit
• Extra batteries or a second charger

As you pass security keep your hearing aids in. You are not expected to remove them. Also, during a flight, you can leave them in.

Lastly, if you don't have hearing aids, perhaps it's time. There are features in modern hearing aids that can amplify sound while enhancing conversations and eliminating background noise. The holidays only come 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 all that you remember. Schedule an appointment with your hearing care expert to learn what your hearing solutions are.