Restrictions and adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic are presenting challenges to everyone. But for those with hearing loss, those challenges include the ability to communicate effectively due to wearing masks or face coverings. That poses problems for about 60 million Americans who live with hearing loss, ranging from mild to severe, including deafness in one or both ears.
The human brain is designed to use visual cues, including a view of lips moving, to help understand speech. Mask wearing, however, takes away these cues. The fact that we’ve been asked to keep a distance of six feet from each other to avoid spreading Coronavirus compounds the problem. As distance increases, sound levels decrease, and moving farther away makes it more difficult to focus attention on comprehending speech. Oh, and facemasks naturally muffle speech.
Placing a mask over a hearing aid or cochlear implant – not to mention eyeglasses – can also be uncomfortable. It causes people to remove hearing devices or even force them to dislodge and sustain damage.
Consider the following strategies to reduce discomfort while wearing a mask.
People with hearing loss need to keep in mind that communicating is a two-way street. You must think about more effective ways to communicate while wearing a mask and about strategies that will help people better communicate with you. This can range from understanding a cashier at the grocery checkout to comprehending what a health care provider is telling you or a loved one.
Sources:
A tricky combination: Face masks, hearing loss and hearing aids by Healthy Hearing
Masks and distancing make it tough for the hard-of-hearing, but here’s how to help the Conversation
Prevalence of Hearing Loss by Severity in the United States by the American Journal of Public health