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We’re finally going on holiday. It’s summer and we’re anticipating the sounds of waves crashing, birds tweeting, and conversations with friends at parties or on the beach. These are some of the sounds of a summer vacation. If you want to enjoy it all, you need to be able to hear it all. You may feel anxious that you’ll miss important conversations, but don’t let that leave you stressed before you’ve even left on your break. Here are some things you can do to optimise your aural experience:
Add those aids to your attire
It sounds obvious to actually wear your hearing aids, but do you feel that you don’t want to stand out in that crowd? We understand that, but it would be better to wear them than to have a red face from missing some vital conversation. Putting on your pair must become as natural an accessory as donning a new pair of summer shades.
Struggling to hear those tête-à-têtes?
It’s not easy to hear in a crowd where multiple speakers are talking across one another. Find a position in the gathering where you can also SEE the speaker. It’s amazing how much lip reading you’ll learn to do.
Get by with a little help from a friend
Nobody knows you can’t hear, if you don’t tell them. We know that you want to ask the speaker to raise his volume. Remember, in a noisy environment, even “abled-hearing” listeners may be struggling to hear. With luck, someone else might make the request before you do! However, you may need to pluck up the courage and ask the speaker to repeat themselves. It’s isolating to be the only one in the group that can’t follow the conversation!
Shades of charades
If a speaker is covering their mouths, ask them to uncover their lips and to repeat what they have just said. You may need to use a hand signal, like cupping your ear with your hand, to hint to the speaker that they need to increase the volume of their speech. A little acting with a smile on your face won’t hurt your pride and you’ll be part of the conversation.
Accessorise for audio excellence
Still battling? There may be another way. Find out if you have hearing aids with accessories which allow you to adjust the volume or to set a program suited for speech in a noisy setting. Find out if your hearing aid is adjustable. Contact Tami Mehl Audiology to learn more
Beware the sounds of socialising
Live concerts, blaring speakers, boom boxes on the beach…a recipe for fun or a formula for damage and disaster? Noise harm is done not only by the decibels, but by the length of time you listen to the harmful harmonies. With the advent of technology, the sounds from devices can be harmful too. So, prevent further hearing impairment by using ear plugs when you’re around loud noises.
HAVE A SIZZLING SUMMER!
