Having difficulty hearing at home? Consider these options

UF Health Podcasts

Can you hear me? Good. How about now? Even better.

We all enjoy an evening at home, relaxing with good company or a remote in hand and a favorite program on the telly. But sometimes, background noise can be too much, limiting your hearing and comprehension.

There are several ways to reduce noise and improve your experience.

Look around. Consider your noisiest appliances. Does your air conditioner cause a racket? Perhaps your dishwasher constantly rattles.

You might update your home’s interior to tamp down noise. Heavy curtains lessen sound reverberation. Carpets and rugs do, too.

If you struggle with banter when others are around, check the lighting. We glean information from facial expressions and body language. Increasing light with lamps or other fixtures help us read lips but also pick up nonverbal cues. Shadows can affect what we see, and, consequently, what we hear.

Some televisions accommodate hearing-impaired viewers with audio settings that enhance dialogue and lower the bass.

Over-the-counter hearing aids are available for people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss. Since federal regulations changed for over-the-counter hearing aids in 2022, they’ve become a bit more affordable.

If you’re not sure how well you hear, see an audiologist. While nearly 30 million Americans have some degree of hearing loss, only one-fifth of those who could benefit from hearing aids get them.

Aging happily requires staying engaged. That means keeping up with the conversation. Getting the joke. Sharing a funny story.

You can’t do those things if you can’t hear.