5 Tips for better hearing at Christmas

If it’s your turn to host this Christmas and you have a family member with hearing loss, it’s worth remembering our top tips to help them to hear well, feel included and have a great time. 

1. Turn the music off

Any background noise, including music, makes it hard for people with hearing loss to follow the conversation so it’s best to turn it off, rather than down.

2. Take a seat

Put the person with hearing loss at the centre of the Christmas dinner table so they’re close to as many people as possible. If everyone is mindful of the person’s hearing challenges, then encourage people to speak one at a time, rather than over each other.

That way, the person with hearing loss can concentrate on the person speaking. A person with hearing loss will miss things, so help to fill them in without drawing attention to their hearing deficit.

3. Lighten things up

Light and bright surroundings help people with hearing loss to follow visual cues, like lips and facial expressions. Ensure you have the person’s attention before speaking to them.

4. A crackers idea

The loud snaps from Christmas crackers can be excruciating for someone using hearing aids. Let them know when the crackers will be pulled so they have a chance to turn their hearing aids down.

5. Catch on to captions

At some point it’s inevitable that the TV will be switched on so family members can enjoy the delights of the Christmas TV line up. Subtitles will help everyone to keep up with the programme.

From all of us here at The Hearing Clinic, we’d like to wish you all a very happy and restful Christmas and New Year.