The Challenge of Wearing Hearing Aids and Face Masks
As businesses open across the nation, the public is being asked to wear face masks to keep employees, fellow patrons and themselves safe. While this is an important measure for the health of the community, it can pose a challenge for people who wear hearing aids for a variety of reasons.
The Challenge
When everyone around is wearing a face mask, it is difficult for the hard-of-hearing to communicate. This is because masks muffle speech, making it harder to hear, and because many people with hearing loss rely on lip-reading to understand, which is not possible when there is a physical barrier over the mouth.
There is also a challenge when it comes to being the mask wearer – ear loops on face masks tend to tug on hearing aids, causing discomfort. Many also report that removing the mask causes hearing aids to fall out.
Below are some tips for communicating while wearing masks, as well as strategies for wearing masks and hearing aids at the same time.
Communication Strategies
The following tips can be followed by both the person with hearing loss and the conversation partner for optimum communication.
Reduce background noise or find a quiet area.
Speak slowly and clearly, but do not shout.
Rephrase remarks if not understood.
Get the listener’s attention and make eye contact before speaking.
Take turns speaking and do not interrupt one another.
Converse while facing each other – don’t talk while walking.
