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We haven’t yet heard the buzz of the doorbell, pushed by October’s eager trick-or-treaters, but the next round of noisy celebrations is coming up fast.
Holiday music, boisterous feasting, and a hearty "ho, ho, ho" – the sounds of the upcoming holidays are as much a part of the spirit of the season as turkey dinners and twinkling lights. But what do you do if you – or a loved one – can’t hear the sounds of the holidays as well as you would like to?The holidays are also a time when some people feel isolated. Hearing loss can contribute to that sense of isolation if someone misses out on the sounds and conversations that help make the holidays bright. Anger, frustration, paranoia, anxiety and depression have all been associated with hearing loss in numerous studies."No one wants to feel left out during the holidays, but if you aren’t able to hear the well wishes and other sounds of the season, it can be difficult to feel the holiday spirit," says Dr. Barry Freeman, an audiologist with Starkey, a global hearing technology company.About hearing lossSo how can you help a loved one with a hearing loss enjoy life more, not just at the holidays, but year-round?First, you should be aware of some facts about hearing loss from the Better Hearing Institute, including: It’s not just a problem for seniors. In fact, 65 percent of all people with hearing loss are younger than retirement age. More than 31 million Americans have hearing loss – that’s one out of every 10 people. Excessive noise is the top cause of hearing loss, which may explain why 15 percent of people age 45 to 64 – the first generations to grow up listening to loud rock music – have hearing loss. The use of hearing aids can help reduce anger, frustration and anxiety, providing overall improvements in emotional health and stability. How to helpYou can help your hearing-impaired loved one by taking several steps:If your loved one already uses a hearing aid, be aware of the challenges he or she may face in a crowd. Holiday parties, whether at home or in the office, are often boisterous and noisy – conditions that can challenge the technical limits of some hearing aids. Now, before the holidays descend, might be a good time to encourage your loved one with hearing loss to look into new technology that works better in noisy conditions. One example: the S Series from Starkey, with a state-of-the-art feature that virtually eliminates the buzzing or whistling (feedback) often associated with hearing aids. This helps wearers hear as well as possible even in the noisiest environments, like restaurants and social gatherings.Technological assistsThe treasured holiday call from far-off friends and loved ones can also be a source of frustration for a person wearing hearing aids. Technology offers a helping hand through a number of assisted listening devices (ALDs) to make calling easier, from amplified phones for every type of telephone, to special cell phone accessories.
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