Lifestyle Adjustments for a Hearing Loss-Friendly Home

Your home and everyday life deserves to feel safe, comfortable and enjoyable. Knowing that your environment is perfectly tailored to suit your needs when you have hearing loss is a good feeling, which will help you to have a better overall well-being. As well as having full support from a dedicated hearing health professional, there are also many adjustments you can make around the home to enhance your lifestyle. Whether you’re hoping to make these changes for yourself or a loved one, here are some useful ideas to help you get started.

Good Lighting

Having good lighting options around your home is always a smart idea when you have hearing loss, or someone in your family has hearing loss. Many people use lip reading as a form of communication so it’s important that they can see you clearly. When you experience hearing loss, facial expressions and gestures are also hugely important for communication, so this makes lighting even more of a key factor around the home.

Spacious Set-Ups

If you are able to have an open floor plan or choose a home with wider hallways, this will be a helpful feature for a person with hearing loss. Narrow halls may inhibit conversations as you will have to walk in single file; being able to see the other person is important for communication, body language and details in facial expressions. Separate rooms and social spaces that are blocked off from each other are also quite difficult for individuals with hearing loss, as they can’t see the other person as they’re talking to them. Shouting from the kitchen isn’t an option, so try to create a space that has an open plan feel to accommodate those with hearing loss.

Safety Features

Having a certain number of safety features in the home is also a sensible idea, especially if they live alone or with other people who have hearing loss. Visual alert systems such as flashing lights or vibrating alarm clocks are a good idea to have installed in yours or your loved ones home. As well as having standard fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, you may want to look into models with strobe lights so that there are clear visual cues during emergencies too. Finally, maintaining a clutter-free environment reduces hazards and makes it easier for individuals with hearing loss to move around safely.

Schedule an Appointment with a Hearing Health Professional

As you can see, there are several useful changes you can make around the home to help make your everyday life easier and more comfortable. Having hearing loss shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying time at home and with loved ones, so with a few small changes you can feel confident that everything is in place. If you have any questions regarding your hearing, schedule an appointment with a hearing health professional and they will be able to assess and advise you on the best course of action for the future.