A night out at a restaurant should be about enjoying good food and spending time with the people you care about. However, if you’re among the 15% of U.S. adults with hearing loss, keeping up with conversations in a busy dining room can take some of the fun out of the experience.
Fortunately, you don’t have to give up dining out to communicate more comfortably. A few thoughtful adjustments can help you hear more clearly and feel more confident during your next restaurant visit.
Prepare for a Better Dining Experience
The right environment can make conversations easier to follow. Before heading out, consider these simple ways to create a more comfortable listening experience:
- Request a quieter table. When making a reservation, ask to sit away from the kitchen, bar, speakers or busy walkways. A booth or table in a quieter corner may help limit distractions.
- Choose the right time to dine. Restaurants are often less crowded during off-peak hours. Consider having an early dinner or visiting between the lunch and dinner rushes.
- Look for sound-friendly spaces. Restaurants with upholstered seating, curtains, and carpeting may absorb more sound than those with hard floors and high ceilings. Dining outside is another option for a quieter evening.
- Wear your hearing aids. If you use hearing aids, bring them along and make sure they’re clean and charged before you leave home.
Planning ahead can reduce some of the common obstacles associated with hearing loss and allow you to focus more on enjoying your meal.
Make Effective Communication a Priority
Even in a quieter restaurant, following a conversation can sometimes be difficult. Small changes in how you and your dining companions communicate can make a meaningful difference.
Try incorporating these habits into your next outing:
- Let others know what you need. Ask your companions to face you while speaking, get your attention before starting a conversation and speak clearly without shouting.
- Avoid talking over one another. Group conversations can become especially challenging when several people speak at once. Encourage everyone to take turns so you can follow the discussion more easily.
- Speak up when you miss something. Rather than pretending to understand, politely ask someone to repeat or rephrase what they said. This helps you stay involved without unnecessary frustration.
If you regularly struggle to understand speech in restaurants despite wearing hearing aids, a hearing evaluation or hearing aid adjustment may help address your listening difficulties. Contact Hearing Center Silver Spring to schedule your service and repair appointment.
Sources
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (2021, March 25). Quick statistics about hearing. National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders. Nidcd. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing