hearing better at home
When you're not hearing your best, obviously treating the hearing loss is the best plan of action. In addition to hearing technology though, there are ways to set your environment up for success to hear your best!
Your home can sometimes be a peaceful and quiet retreat (I personally cherish those moments!). At other times, it can be filled with lively activities like dinner parties, game nights, dogs barking, or watching sports events. Regardless of the atmosphere in your home, here are some potential issues that might be affecting your ability to hear:
reverberant surfaces and rooms
High ceilings and hard surfaces, such as glass tabletops, stone counters, or wood/tile floors, can make sound reverberate and bounce around.
distracting background noises
Background noise, whether it's coming from inside or outside of your home, can be distracting when you're talking to a loved one.
bad room layouts
Good communication happens when you're not only hearing your conversation partners but also seeing them, which means the opposite is true--if your rooms are not set up for you to visualize others, you may be creating more difficulty.
By addressing these three key areas, you can position yourself and your home for optimal hearing success!
eliminate reverberance
in your living or family rooms
Cover hard tables with soft tablecloths
Find fabric or textile wall decor.
Try out acoustic paneling for your walls or ceilings. New acoustic paneling comes in attractive and modern patterns!
Use heavy drapes or curtains to cover windows and hard blinds
Put down rugs or rubber mats on hard floors.
Place drinks on soft coasters.
Buy decorative pillows or blankets to help absorb sounds.
in your kitchen & dining room
Cover hard tables or counters with tablecloths or placemats.
Use a rubber mat in the sink when washing dishes.
Silicone cups, paper plates, and wooden utensils can reduce clanking.
protect your home from extra noise
outside of your home
Plant some trees or shrubs facing busy or loud streets.
Seal any air gaps around windows and doors with rubber or foam weatherstripping, acoustical sealant/caulk, or a draft stopper.
Upgrade your home's windows or doors. Thicker windows or installing acoustic window inserts can be helpful. A solid door versus a hollow door can provide a sturdier option against noise.
inside your home
Put loud appliances in an isolated area. This could look like a separate laundry room for your washer and dryer, vacuuming with the doors closed, or putting a dishwasher in a butler's pantry.
Run loud appliances during inactive hours. Examples would be to do the laundry or running the dishwasher when everyone is out of the home or asleep.
Turn down the television, music, or any other distractions when trying to communicate with one another. This probably seems like common sense, but you would be surprised how often this happens in your daily life if you kept track!
rearrange your room to make conversation easier
Some simple additions or changes to your rooms can make all the difference for those with hearing loss!
At Hear & There, we aim to address your hearing loss while fostering a lifestyle and habits that support and optimize your hearing health. If you have any questions about the information provided, feel free to call us at 405.367.7059 or submit a web inquiry! We can't wait to help you hear better here for life there!
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