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Communication Tips For The Hard Of Hearing |
Whether you wear a hearing aid or not, there are several things you can do to improve your ability to communicate with other people. The following are tips that may be useful. |
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What should I do about background noise? |
Whenever possible, try to reduce background noise. This will help you to hear speakers more clearly with the least amount of strain. For instance, ask to be seated in a quiet part of a restaurant. Sitting next to the wall and away from the kitchen or area of heavy traffic will help as well. At home, turn the TV down when you are having a conversation and it only is serving as background noise. |
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Is lip reading useful? |
Yes! Even though we may not have formal training in lip reading we do a lot anyway. By looking at the faces of people with whom we are speaking, we can see many important cues. Watch for facial cues, expressions, and gestures that will cue you to the speaker's mood. Your eyes will help you to fill in the messages that you cannot clearly hear. Keep the room well lit and have good lighting on the speaker's face. Know the topic of
conversation. If you can pick up a few words in each sentence, you may be able
to fill in the blanks. When you become "lost" in group conversations, try to
concentrate on one person who seems to be assuming the majority of the
dialogue. |
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How about speaking to someone who is in another room? |
Do not try to communicate with a person in another room. The distance reduces the loudness of the message, especially for the softer high-frequency consonants that carry the major portion of the meaning. You want to be able to see the person who is talking. It simply won't work and it will be frustrating for both of you. |
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Where should I sit in public speaking events or theaters? |
In public-speaking situations or in places of worship, try to sit in the front of the room or near the loudspeakers. If one ear is better than the other, sit with your better ear facing the speaker. Many theaters and other venues now have assistive listening devices available that are very helpful. Ask at the box office. You will be able to adjust the volume for your specific hearing loss and probably will do better than with your hearing aids. |
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Are there any other things I should consider? |
If you cannot understand what is being said to you, ask the speaker to rephrase rather than just repeat the message. You can also paraphrase the parts of the message that you actually heard instead of only saying "what". Try to relax while you are speaking with others. Of course this is usually easier said than done. But if you are tense or if you are trying too hard, your ability to understand speech will become more difficult. Be sure to let your family know how they can help you by asking them to: Speak in a normal tone of voice and do not over-articulate. |
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Self Help for the Hard of Hearing
website www.shhh.org Raleigh SHHH
Meets every 3rd Thursdays |