Are you going to remain inside and miss out on summer fun because you don’t hear well? If you don’t know about your hearing loss, it’s probably even worse. Some ear conditions and aging carry a prolonged decline of hearing which you may not even notice. You might also stay away from engaging in fun summertime activities you love simply because you don’t hear as well. Look for remedies to the difficulties which come along with the loss of hearing, so you can get out there and enjoy the fun with all your friends.

Summer Barbecues

Summertime cookouts do get a little tricky if you have hearing loss. One of the toughest issues is background noise. There are a lot of conversations going on around you. Kids are running about shrieking and playing. You have the sounds of nature such as singing birds, barking dogs, and the crackling sound of food cooking on the grill.

Whatever hearing that may remain can’t compete with all that diverse noise. When somebody has hearing decline, background sounds tend to take over.

Here are a few ideas to help you compensate:

Some of the overpowering background noise can be minimized by finding a quiet place to sit for a while. You may need to look at peoples lips so turn your back to the sun.

• Shut off the background music or turn it down, at least. Deciding not to have music is an option if you’re the host. When you are at other peoples cookouts be sure to tell the host about your hearing difficulties.
• Now and then simply walk away. You use a lot of energy struggling to hear. Every hour or so go inside or a little ways away from all the noise.
• Inform others that you can’t hear. People will get annoyed if you try to fake it. Tell people when you can’t hear them. You should also utilize visual clues that you are struggling such as cupping your ear. Normally, people will come closer or speak up to help.

Don’t attempt to hear everything. Understand that you can’t get involved in every discussion. Set practical limits for yourself and try to participate in smaller groups instead.

Go Outdoors

Do you really understand what you are missing outside? Don’t be afraid to walk outside the house and concentrate on the sounds of the natural world. No, you won’t be able to hear everything but with a little focus, you might hear more than you think possible.

Make a game out of it and listen for:

• Birds chirping
• Buzzing insects
• Evening crickets
• Blowing leaves
• Falling rain
• People jumping in the pool or playing in the yard
• Dogs barking
• Waves splashing

Temper expectations when you go outside, to the beach, or for a walk in the park by trying to hear one thing at a time.

Enjoy Day Trips or Even a Much Needed Vacation

Isn’t that what summer is meant for? Determine what type of vacation you might enjoy and if there are constraints that come with your hearing loss. Sailing or fishing would be ideal but a theme park could be a little too much stimulation. Go to the zoo or possibly go to a nature preserve. Going to a museum or taking a stroll on the boardwalk next to the beach are great choices.

Don’t let your loss of hearing take away your chance to travel this summer. If you’re going to fly, inform the airline that you have hearing loss when you get your ticket. Inform the hotel or resort, too, so they can get you a room with accommodations for the hearing impaired including smoke alarms with flashing lights or shaking beds and TVs that have closed captioning.

Improve Yourself

Learn to paint or take an exercise class to improve yourself this summer. If you want to find a place in the front, get there early. If you do miss anything, it would be smart to have a friend or two with you to fill in the blanks.

Take Safety Precautions This Summer

There are a number of summer traditions which require you to take precautions to protect yourself, your ears, and any expensive hearing assistance devices you own. Play it safe by:

• Taking care when by the pool or swimming. Make sure to take care of your hearing aids from water damage and wear some earplugs if you go into the water to avoid ear infections.
• Remember not to go on evening walks alone. Loss of hearing means that you don’t always recognize sounds such as vehicles driving towards you or maybe even a stranger coming up behind you.
• Safeguard what hearing you do have left by wearing ear protection if you go to see the fireworks for Independence Day or to an outdoor concert.

Making The Most of it This Summer

These summer challenges can be mostly averted by doing three simple things.

• Get your ears examined by a hearing specialist. It may be possible that your hearing loss is treatable.
• Get a professional hearing test, so you know if you do have hearing loss.
• Get good-quality hearing aids. They will filter out background noises so you will hear what is relevant.

Summertime is all about having fun. Don’t let the loss of hearing rob you of that.