Hearing loss can create significant challenges in everyday communication, leading to frustration, misunderstanding and a feeling of isolation. We live in a noisy world, and there are many barriers to communication. Fortunately, there are a multitude of strategies and tools available to facilitate communication and create an inclusive environment for all!

Discuss in an optimal location

Many of our patients tell us that they have difficulty communicating well in restaurants or at family gatherings. To improve this situation, opt for a location more distant and avoid sitting next to windows. Noise bounces off reflective surfaces, which can make communication difficult for hearing-impaired people. It can be helpful to look for quieter, less reverberant environments to facilitate communication!

Adapting to the other person's reality

We always recommend that our patients disclose their hearing loss when they are in a place that may make communication more difficult. This way, the people included in the discussion can adapt by pronouncing all the words correctly, maintaining eye contact and making sure they're not talking at the same time as someone else. Indeed, your loved ones can play a vital role in adopting inclusive communication strategies! The more your contacts understand your needs, the smoother and clearer the communication will be.

Using the phone's functions

An additional difficulty encountered by our patients frequently concerns the use of the telephone. Indeed, when answering a phone call, it is advisable to activate the hands-free function so that the conversation is not limited to one ear only. It's also a good idea to turn off all sound sources before answering a call, such as the TV or radio, to better understand the person on the other end of the line.

Find out more about our establishments

When you go to theaters or cinemas, it's a good idea to ask the staff about their accommodations for the hearing impaired. Accommodations can take the form of headphones that the establishment lends out, or bringing your own radio equipped with headphones.

With effective communication strategies like these, the challenges of communication can be minimized, enabling people to enjoy the pleasures of conversation and stay connected to the world around them.