Your home should be a place where you feel comfortable, safe and relaxed. If you have hearing loss, certain elements of a typical home can make communication and relaxation more difficult.
By making thoughtful adjustments to your living space, you can create an environment that supports easier hearing, enhancing overall quality of life.
Tips for Decorating a Hearing-Friendly Home
Designing a hearing-friendly home doesn’t require a major renovation. Simple changes to your decor and layout can make a big difference in how sound travels and how easily you can engage with others.
Here are some practical ideas to get you started:
- Use soft furnishings: Materials like curtains, rugs, upholstered furniture and throw pillows from places like Reeds Furniture help absorb sound and reduce background noise. The softer the surfaces, the less echo you’ll experience, and distracting ambient noises will be harder to notice.
- Install carpeting: Hard floors such as wood or tile can cause sounds to bounce around a room. Adding carpets or large area rugs can dampen background noise and help conversations feel clearer.
- Choose acoustic panels or wall hangings: Decorative acoustic panels or even thick tapestries can help minimize echo in larger rooms with high ceilings.
- Create smaller conversation areas: Arrange furniture in cozy groupings rather than spreading it along the edges of a room. This setup keeps voices closer together and makes it easier to hear during group conversations.
- Optimize lighting: Good lighting is critical for lip reading and picking up visual cues. Make sure your main living spaces are well-lit and consider adjustable lighting for different times of day.
- Limit background noise: Keep televisions, radios and other electronic devices at reasonable volumes. If possible, use softer background music or sound machines that don’t interfere with conversations or nothing at all.
Using intentional furniture placement and reducing hard surfaces in the home help create a better environment for hearing.
The Benefits of Hearing Aids at Home
In addition to designing a hearing-friendly space, using hearing aids helps improve overall well-being, not just in the home, and nearly 28.8 million Americans could benefit from using them.
Modern hearing aids are sophisticated devices that not only amplify sound but also reduce background noise and focus on speech, making daily interactions much easier.
Some benefits of wearing hearing aids at home include:
- Clearer conversations with family and guests
- Better enjoyment of media like TV shows, music and movies
- Improved ability to hear important sounds, like doorbells or security alarms
- Reduced mental strain and fatigue from trying to follow conversations
- A greater sense of independence and safety throughout the house
Many hearing aids also offer Bluetooth® connectivity, allowing you to stream directly to your devices, enhancing the comfort of your living space.
To learn more about using hearing aids around the home or to schedule a hearing test for you or a loved one, contact Decibel Hearing Services today.