From the moment you start boiling water for mashed potatoes to when you’re wrangling kids and grandkids for an after-dinner movie, Thanksgiving is a noisy event. This constant noise can make the holiday a challenging event for people with hearing loss. But don’t worry. There are a few ways you can make your Thanksgiving gatherings more hearing-friendly for everyone.
Entertain Children
Any parent knows that quieting down your children is a difficult task. With the chaotic environment of Thanksgiving, this task becomes impossible. Rather than asking young children not to make noise, try giving them fun activities to keep them occupied. A few options include:
- Watch a holiday movie
- Play hide-and-seek (outside the kitchen or dining room)
- Make handprint turkeys, pilgrim hats or other Thanksgiving tasks
- Ask a family member to read them a book
- Decorate cookies
Giving kids fun activities to do in areas away from the kitchen or dining room will make them less likely to create noisy chaos.
Turn Off Background Noise Where Possible
Eliminating background distractions like music or the big game can make it easier to focus and reduce hearing challenges. If you enjoy listening to music while cooking, consider using noise-cancelling headphones. They’ll let you enjoy your tunes while concentrating on your tasks and signal to others that you prefer some quiet time. Just remember to set vibrating or flashing alarms on your phone to keep track of your cooking!
Set Up Multiple Dining Areas
If you have the space, set up dining tables in different rooms to encourage smaller groups. The smaller tables will help you pay attention to the conversation without being distracted by the background noise larger groups produce.
Take Turns Speaking
It can be easy for large groups of people to end up talking over one another. This overlapping conversation compromises communication clarity and makes it more difficult for people with hearing loss to participate. If you notice this happening, gently remind everyone to take turns speaking. This way, everyone can feel included and enjoy the time together. For more tips on managing your hearing loss, contact Speech & Hearing Associates today to make an appointment with one of our specialists.