Are you going to sit indoors and miss out on summer fun just because you don’t hear well? If you don’t know about your hearing loss, it’s even worse. Certain ear conditions and aging bring a prolonged loss of hearing which you may not even detect. When you don’t hear as well it’s likely that you won’t even attend many awesome summer activities. Search for solutions to the challenges that come along with hearing loss, so you can go out there and enjoy the fun with everyone else.

Summertime Cookouts

Summer barbecues do get a bit tricky if you have hearing loss. Background noise is one big problem. There are so many conversations happening all around you. Kids are running about yelling and playing. There is the sound of the food cooking on the grill and, of course, the wondrous sounds of the natural world.

If you do have some amount of hearing loss, all of these various noises and sounds will be very frustrating. Background noises will overtake someone with hearing decline.

There are things you can do to compensate like:

Sitting in a quiet spot for short periods can help get rid of some of that overpowering background noise. You may need to see peoples lips so put your back to the sun.

• Shut off any background music or turn it down, at least. If you are hosting the barbecue, you can just decide not to play music. If you are visiting someone else’s cookout, explain the problem to the host.
• Now and then simply walk away. Struggling to hear takes a lot of energy. Go inside and away from everyone for a few minutes each hour and go somewhere quiet to recharge.
• Inform others that you can’t hear. It’s annoying for you and people near you if you try to fake it. If you can’t hear what someone said, tell them. Visual clues such as cupping your ears will let people know you’re having a problem hearing. Usually, people will step closer or speak louder to help.

Don’t attempt to hear everything. Understand that you can’t participate in every conversation. As an alternative, try to engage in small groups of people and set practical limits for yourself.

Go Outdoors

If you just remain inside you don’t recognize what you’re missing out on. Don’t be afraid to walk outside the house and focus on the sounds of nature. You won’t hear everything, but with a little focus, you might be surprised by the things you will hear.

Make a game out of it and listen for:

• Chirping birds
• Buzzing insects
• Crickets at night
• Rustling leaves
• The rain falling
• People jumping in the pool or playing in the yard
• Dogs barking
• Waves splashing

If you simply try to listen to one thing at a time, you can manage your expectations every time you go outdoors, head to the beach or walk in the park.

Enjoy Day Trips or Even a Much Needed Vacation

Isn’t that what summertime is all about? What sort of vacation do you enjoy? What limitations come along with your hearing loss that will affect it? Sailing or fishing would be perfect but a theme park would probably be a bit too much. Spend the day at a nature preserve or go to the zoo. Stroll on the boardwalk by the beach or go to a museum.

You have an opportunity to travel this summer so don’t let your hearing loss take that away from you. If you’re going to fly, tell the airline that you have hearing loss when you get your ticket. Alert the hotel or resort, also, so they can offer you a room with accommodations for the hearing impaired like smoke alarms with flashing lights or shaking beds and TVs with closed captioning.

Work on Yourself

Learn to paint or maybe take an exercise class to better yourself this summer. If you would like to find a spot in the front, be sure to get there early. If you do miss anything, it would be prudent to have a couple of friends with you to let you know what you might have missed.

Take Safety Measures This Summer

There are a number of summertime traditions that require you to take safety measures to protect yourself, your ears, and any costly hearing assistance devices you own. Play it safe by:

• When you are enjoying the pool or beach, play it safe. Put in earplugs to avoid ear infections and don’t let your hearing aids get wet.
• If you decide to walk after dark to enjoy the night air, bring a friend with you. There are hazards like a car driving toward you or someone lurking near you which you probably won’t hear.
• Safeguard what hearing you do have left by wearing ear protection if you go to watch the fireworks for Independence Day or to an outdoor concert.

Try to Make The Most of it This Summer

Three simple things will help you avoid most of these things.

• Have your ears checked by a hearing care specialist. It may be possible that your hearing loss is treatable.
• Get a professional hearing examination, to determine if you do have hearing loss.
• Get high-quality hearing aids. They can get rid of any background noises so you hear what’s important.

Having fun is what summer is all about. Don’t allow hearing loss take it away from you.