Our charity partners, Action of Hearing Loss have lots of helpful resources on their website including top tips on how you can stay connected and communicating well, here’s some of what they have shared:
You're not alone if you sometimes find communication frustrating or stressful because of your hearing loss. But there are a number of simple things you can do to make it easier.
Tell the person you're speaking to that you lipread before you start a conversation, then follow our simple tips:
- Whilst it’s important to observe the 2 metre social distancing guidance, don’t stand too far away. Make sure you can see the speaker's face and lips – their gestures and facial expressions will help you to understand what they're saying.
- If your hearing isn't the same in both ears, make sure you are in the best position to maximise your ‘good side’. Don’t be shy about asking people to change places with you.
- Ask people to get your attention before they start talking to you.
- Try to keep calm. If you become anxious or flustered, it will be harder for you to follow what's being said.
- If you don't catch what someone says the first time, don't be afraid to ask them to repeat it or say it in a different way.
- If necessary, ask people to slow down and speak more clearly.
- Don't be too hard on yourself. No one hears correctly all the time.
Everyday life
Undoubtedly, at the moment, we’re all making changes to our lives but there are some other simple steps you can take to help make sure you’re hearing as well as you can, here is some advice provided by our charity partner, Action on Hearing Loss:
Watching TV
Most TV channels have subtitles. Where they are available, you can usually get them by pressing the subtitles button on your remote control, or by pressing the menu button and following the options for language and subtitles.
However, the availability of subtitles can vary when you watch on-demand TV.
Most of the UK’s main broadcasters have an on-demand TV service:
On-demand TV lets you watch what you like, when you like, over the internet. You can catch up with programmes and films you’ve missed, watch entire seasons of your favourite shows, and watch programmes at the time they are broadcast through a live TV stream over the internet.
You can access these on-demand services in different ways:
- through the TV channel’s website
- by downloading free apps from Google Play or the App Store onto your smartphone or tablet device
- through platforms such as YouView and Now TV.
BBC iPlayer has subtitles available on almost all of its programmes, no matter how you access the service.
The other on-demand services have subtitles available on around 70% to 85% of programmes when you watch through a service's website or app. But subtitles may not be available when you watch these on-demand services through other platforms.
Subtitles are now available on most BBC iPlayer live streams but not, currently, on other channels' live streams.
On-demand subscription services
For a monthly fee (subscription), you can watch a wide range of films and TV programmes online through on-demand services such as
Netflix,
Amazon Prime Video and
Now TV.
Before signing up for any of these services, check whether they have subtitles – not all of them do. Many Netflix programmes are subtitled, as are more than half of the programmes on Amazon services.
Problems with subtitles or background noise?
If you find it hard to follow a TV programme because of background noise or music within the programme, or if the subtitles are poor quality, Action on Hearing Loss recommend you let the channel know, giving the date and time that the programme was broadcast. They have a guide on how to write a complaint letter and where to send it, visit
actiononhearingloss.org.uk/writeacomplaint
Assistive listening devices for watching TV
If you have to turn up the volume on your TV so loud that it disturbs your family, or you find you're sitting closer and closer to the TV, there are assistive listening devices that allow you to turn down the volume for others, while making it louder and clearer for yourself.
The products include:
- Wireless headphones – these let you listen at a volume that's suitable for you.
- TV listeners – these either come with a neckloop for hearing aid users, or stethoset earbuds for people who don’t use hearing aids.
- Home hearing loop systems – a loop system can help you hear the TV more clearly through your hearing aids when they’re on the loop (or 'T') setting.
- TV streamers – these small devices send sound from the TV to your hearing aids and allow you to further adjust the volume and pitch of the sound to your preference. You may need to use an intermediary device for the wireless connection.
- Remote microphones – you can place a small microphone close to your TV’s loudspeaker and it will pick up the sound and send it straight to your hearing aids.
Chatting on the phone
More than ever, we’re all going to be relying on phone calls to keep in touch with loved ones. If you’re struggling to hear what’s being said, it’s a good idea to make sure there’s no background noise when you’re on the call and also time the call for when you’re not too tired. It’s also a good idea to use video calls like Skype or FaceTime so you can use visual cues to help follow the conversation. Alternatively, there are services which will convert what’s being said into a text message, information can be found at relayuk.bt.com.