Hearing loss is one of the most common chronic conditions in the United States, and it becomes more common with age.
The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) states that,
“About 2% of adults aged 45 to 54 have disabling hearing loss. The rate increases to 8.5% for adults aged 55 to 64. Nearly 25% of those aged 65 to 74 and 50% of those who are 75 and older have disabling hearing loss.”
While hearing loss can make it difficult to engage in many activities that you enjoy, the good news is that there are steps you can take to minimize the effects that it has on your life and continue to enjoy a day or a night out in Wilmington.
Take Steps to Treat Your Hearing Loss 
The best thing you can do to make a night out with hearing loss easier is to seek the appropriate treatment for your condition. The first step is to schedule an appointment for a hearing test with a qualified audiologist. From there, they can examine your results to see what sounds you struggle with and develop a treatment plan. Most hearing loss is treated with hearing aids. The right pair can make any activity more enjoyable by improving your listening ability and helping you connect with others and be in the moment without worrying about trying to hear.
Research Venues Beforehand
In addition to using hearing aids, it can be helpful to see what kind of accommodations certain venues offer to help those who have hearing loss. You can ask if they use hearing loop systems, offer captioning services or other assistive listening devices. Additionally, if applicable, you can request seating in a quieter part of a restaurant or seats up in front if going to see a lecture or reading.
Activities Made Better with Hearing Aids
- Enjoying a meal out. Whether you’re enjoying a casual meal with friends or treating your partner to a fancy date night out at La Fia Bistro, hearing aids make it easier to follow conversations while minimizing distracting background noise.
- Going to the movies. Hearing aids make taking in the latest summer blockbuster much easier. A growing number of movie theaters offer hearing loop systems which, if you have a hearing aid with telecoil, allows you to stream audio from the film directly into your device. Others offer handheld captioning devices or other accommodations as well.
- Visiting a museum. Day or night, many museum exhibits have features like hearing loop systems, headsets or other assistive listening devices. Another bonus is that they tend to be quieter venues.
- Exploring the city. Sometimes you don’t have a set plan for a night out; you just want to see where the evening takes you. Many hearing aids can automatically adjust their settings based on the volume of the environment you are in, making it easy to explore the city without struggling to hear.
To learn more or to schedule an appointment, contact Wilmington Audiology Services today.