Technology is not the only thing we need to stay connected well. There are plenty of situations that call for planning as well. We need to have strategies for hearing loss and speak up for our needs. It gets easier the more you do it. Here’s advice gathered over the years….
- Be upfront in disclosing your hearing loss with whatever feels right to you.
- Tell people when you can’t hear them. If you hear well in quiet, close settings, they might think you hear them in other settings where you don’t.
- Wait until you are in the same room, have each other’s full attention or can move to a quieter spot.
- For important medical, public or professional meetings in person or online: request CART a few weeks ahead of time if you need it .
- At public venues: call ahead of time or check the website to find out what accommodations are available.
- At public presentations: go early and find the A/V person. They can help ensure presenters use the microphone. Ask for a pass-around mic for audience questions.
- At a work meeting or religious service: ask for written materials, like a copy of the meeting agenda, a eulogy, a prayer book.
- Keep a small white board or pen and paper or “boogie board” handy for when all else fails
- When in noise: take action to reduce it: turn off the music, fan, close the window, change seats, change cars, change rooms, go at a different time
- On public transportation like a train or bus: try a real-time map on your phone to keep track of travel stops so you get off when you should.
- At restaurants: go during off-peak hours, when it’s less crowded and noisy. The crowd-sourced app SoundPrint rates restaurants for noise (good for major cities).
Reframe the disappointments. Instead of defeat, think about what you learned that will help things go better next time.
Things you might say…..
- I really want to hear everything you say, so please…..
- face me when you speak
- speak more slowly
- make your face more visible
- use the microphone
- repeat all audience questions
- rephrase what you just said
- spell that
- repeat just the last part
Sit in the best spot
- in a quiet corner of a restaurant, some prefer their back to the wall and other prefer noise behind them
- close to person presenting/teaching
- in the middle of a long table to hear people at both ends. This works better in a quieter home setting than a noisy restaurant.
- with good lighting on others
- away from a noisy bar, doorway, fan or other machinery
Use a friendly reminder
People seem to forget about hearing loss since it is invisible. As a result, you may need to remind them more than once. For instance, some people wear a button as a constant reminder to others.