Silence isn’t always golden

Hearing loss has always presented difficulties but the Covid-19 crisis has exacerbated them.

Masks are a real problem for example. People who have lost hearing function figure out ways to compensate, but now the kind of facial cues, lip reading, and distinct fricative sounds of speech they depend on are all obscured as the mouth is covered.

It looks as if masks are here to stay for some time yet, so these difficulties are set to continue unfortunately.

You can make the best of a difficult hearing situation by positioning yourself at the edge of a room, so the sounds of the room are in front of you and not coming from all sides.

Make sure that you and the person or people you are speaking to are facing each other so the sound comes to you and is not lost into the room. If possible, reduce background sounds such as television, music and keep ambient noise like fans, kettles and washing machines at bay.

Transport can also be a problem as inevitably there will be background noise and people often don’t get to sit facing each other. Try to position yourself so you are near the side of the vehicle and in the best position to face others whenever possible.

If you’re having trouble hearing, you can try a pair of high-quality hearing aids from Bonavox. They work not just as excellent hearing aids, but can also be connected to your phone, television, car, or any Bluetooth device. If you have a PRSI grant, they won’t cost you a penny. Connect with life again and enjoy every moment.