Tips For Better Hearing & Reducing Social Isolation During COVID-19

During these unprecedented times, social isolation has become a part of daily life for many. Going to restaurants, theaters, or religious services seem like a distant memory. We are all forced to limit contact with others and maintain social distancing.

People with hearing loss are more at risk for experiencing feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Activities such as talking with family members in the household, communicating over telephone or video call, participating in online learning activities such as an art or music class, and even watching television are great ways to stay connected.

Here are a few helpful strategies from CT ENT Audiologist Dr. Alex Zorn to help ensure a positive communication experience:

1. When conversing with family members in the house, be in the same room and face-to-face with one another if possible.
2. Enable captions on the television to follow various television programs.
3. If your hearing aids are equipped with smartphone Bluetooth technology, consider utilizing the streaming capability to communicate over the phone with greater ease.
4. Make sure your hearing device is properly positioned. Individuals with behind-the-ear hearing aids should be extra cautious and mindful when donning/removing face masks as their hearing aids are susceptible to falling off their ears.
5. If your hearing instrument stops working properly you can perform some simple troubleshooting procedures including ensuring the device has a fresh battery or is fully charged, and the wax guard has been changed.