For someone with hearing loss, talking on the phone isn't always the easiest. Here are a few tips and devices that will better your phone call quality if you wear hearing aids.
Avoid background noise
This one does feel more like a general rule of thumb for most phone calls, but if you can, try to call from a quieter place.
Avoid calls from your car or while walking outside with a lot of background noise. Older hearing aid models also have a hard time handling wind noise so keep that in mind as well.
Whether you're the one with the
hearing loss or trying to talk to your friend or loved one who has a hearing loss, make sure you take your surroundings into account.
Repeating is okay
Individuals with hearing loss know firsthand how frustrating it can be having to say, " What?" throughout a conversation. After all, that's the entire point behind our name. Because of this, many words go unheard and suppress proper communication.
If you have hearing loss, don't feel bad admitting that you're not hearing someone well. Honesty is crucial - whether you need the person to speak louder or move somewhere quieter - more often than not, they'll accommodate.
Use Technology
Many hearing aid manufacturers are creating
hearing devices that can stream calls from your phone directly to your ears via Bluetooth. Discuss available options with your loved ones to consider hearing aids with Bluetooth connectivity or other connective accessories.
For individuals with significant hearing loss or deafness, try a video call instead so they're able to see the movement of your lips. Hearing loss can be very isolating and by helping someone feel more connected to the world around them will make a tremendous difference on an individual's mental health.