Christmas is such a happy time! A time for friends and family, good food laughter and love. An occasion that brings lots of happy sounds and noises of music, laughter and chatting. This wonderful time of the year can present some challenges for people who suffer from hearing difficulties. We don’t want anyone to miss out on enjoying the festive season so here are some tips for hearing over Christmas…
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Pick a good position
Pick a good seat in the middle of the dinner table so you can hear people on either side of you. If you are celebrating Xmas at home, then try be in the centre so you can see and hear everything. If you are out, for example at a restaurant, be sure to call ahead and book a table near the sides of the room, as tables in the middle of the room are usually much louder as the noise reverberates off the walls and into the middle of the room. Then make sure you choose the seat where you are FACING the wall so all the noise is behind you. Your ear shape and your hearing aids are designed to reduce sounds from behind and pick up from in front, so if you can seat yourself with the noise behind you, you will help filter that unwanted sound down as much as possible. Try not to site with your back against the wall as this is the worst position for hearing clearer.
Turn down the tunes
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without music and carols, but it’s a good idea to ask your friends and family to keep the carols on a lower volume so you can hear conversation around you clearer. Alternatively, why not opt for a singalong together instead!
Be prepared
Make sure your hearing aid is in good working order. READ our Hearing Aid Care blog for tips on how to clean your hearing aid. We offer FREE walk in checks for all hearing aids to help you get the best out of your devices at the Unley and Norwood clinics. No need for an appointment, just come on in. Make sure you do this in advance though as we will be shut for Xmas week.
Wear in your new hearing aid
If you’ve got a hearing aid, we recommend wearing it in. This will help you get used to it and also train your brain. Believe it or not, we actually hear with our brain, not our ears. (READ our blog on the Hearing Process) Our ears simply carry the sound waves to our brain where it is processed. If you have a new hearing aid it’s important to wear it as much as possible leading up to Christmas for comfort and to help your brain get familiar with it.
Consider a new hearing aid
It is Christmas after all! Why not spoil yourself with a new hearing aid. There are some incredible devices in the market that do more than just help you hear. From rechargeable hearing aids to aids that can stream music from your phone, it might be time for an upgrade. You can even try the new hearing aids for free over the Festive Season with a 30 day trial and see the difference latest technology can make, especially for hearing clearer in background noise. WATCH Kelly, our Senior Audiologist and Director sharing the wonderful OTICON hearing aid features with us in this video.
Stay positive and enjoy yourself!
Try follow our tips as best you can. If you miss out on a few things here and there, try not to feel frustrated. Enjoy being in the presence of loved ones and keep your spirits high 🙂
If you’d like to find out more about our hearing aids and their amazing features visit our site or call us on 8331 8047. If you’re concerned about your preparing yourself for the festive season you can feel feel to contact us for chat and a FREE Comprehensive hearing test. We’ll do our best to help!
