Hear Better this Holiday Season

For most, the holidays are a time for family gatherings and celebrations. Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus, many of us will be celebrating differently this year. Some may choose to have smaller gatherings with just immediate family or a close circle of friends. Others may opt out of their usual festivities altogether and instead, connect with loved ones virtually.
Regardless of how you celebrate, what’s most important is that you cherish this time with loved ones as much as you can and as safely as possible. This can be more challenging, however, if you’re suffering from hearing loss.
Not only is it difficult to follow along with and engage in conversations in a social environment, but physical distancing and face masks can serve as an added barrier to effective communication by muffling sounds and making it impossible to read lips and facial expressions. Standard face masks can also put hearing aid wears at risk for losing their behind-the-ear devices when they become entangled in the elastic ear loops upon removal.
You’ve already spent months physically apart from friends, family, and coworkers—why risk missing out on even more by not hearing as well as you could?
Here are some tips to help you hear better during your holiday gathering:
Be strategic about where you sit. Sit at the end of the table, preferably with your back to a wall to help block out background noise or next to someone who will repeat things for you.
Consider your surroundings. Keep background music low to limit distractions and avoid dim lighting so that you have an easier time reading lips and facial expressions.
Ask others to speak up. Don’t be afraid to let your loved ones know you’ll need them to speak up when talking with you or ask them to repeat themselves.
Contact a professional! It’s recommended that anyone who is 60 years and older or regularly exposed to loud noises have their hearing tested every few years.
Advanced Audiology is the largest and longest-running diagnostic hearing center in the Santa Clarita Valley. Owner and Audiologist, Nola Aronson was also recently named #19 of the “51 Most Influential People” in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Don’t let hearing loss rob you of irreplaceable precious moments this holiday season— Call Nola Aronson’s Advanced Audiology at 661.200.0977 or visit www.scvadvancedaudiology.com to schedule your appointment today!
And be sure to ask about upgrading to new devices that are easier to wear with face masks.