Face masks help protect against viruses and infections, but they can create communication challenges for everyone, especially people wearing hearing aids.

Masks lower the volume of a person’s speech and slightly muffle it, making it harder for most people to hear, not only those wearing hearing aids.

Another thing to remember is to take extra care when removing your mask. Sometimes, it’s just as simple as slowing down and being mindful. Regularly check your hearing aids throughout the day. When you remove your mask, hold your hearing aid in one hand and use the other to remove the elastic loops.

If you have hearing aids, here are some tips and things you can do to make communicating easier:

• Ask the other person to speak slightly louder and slower than they normally do.
• Adjust the volume of your hearing aids. If you are an Unlimited subscriber, the Resound Vivia 9 features advanced, AI-powered “Intelligent Focus”, which is designed to enhance speech in noisy environments. Your Resonate audiologist can program your ReSound Nexia 9 hearing aids with a “mask mode” to easily switch to a clearer and louder sound setting when you wear a mask.
• Look for visual cues: body language, gestures, and eye contact can make it easier to understand the person you’re talking to.
• Wear a different type of mask: Most medical-grade masks have elastic loops that are secured around your ears. While these won’t interfere with the effectiveness of your mask or hearing aids, some people find them to be uncomfortable, especially if you’re also wearing glasses. It also increases the risk of losing your hearing aids, especially if you have a job that requires you to take your mask on and off regularly. If you can, try to find one that secures behind your head, either with elastic or by tying strings.
• Ask for important information in writing.
• Ensure you have insurance: Your hearing aids may be automatically covered under your household contents insurance policy. We recommend contacting your insurance provider to confirm they’re listed on your policy, so you have peace of mind that they’re covered if anything happens to them.
• If you have long hair, tying it back can make removing your mask easier and reduce the chance of catching your hearing aids.

If someone in your family has hearing loss, here are some things you can do to make communicating easier:

• Speak slowly and avoid shouting: enunciate your words slowly and speak slightly louder than normal, but avoid shouting, as it can distort speech. Remember, masks reduce high-pitched, constant sounds the most, which means they affect speech clarity much more than speech volume.
• Talk face-to-face: trying to have a conversation with your back turned while walking away or coming from another room can make your voice sound even more muffled.
• Choose a quiet environment: people with hearing loss may find it even more challenging to follow conversations in noisy places, such as cafes or restaurants. If you’re at home, turn down background noise, such as TVs or radios, when possible.
• Consider wearing a Communicator Mask: These masks feature a large, fog-resistant, clear front window that makes it easier for people who are hard of hearing to read lips and see facial expressions. You can read more about them by visiting Safe’N’Clear’s website at https://safenclear.com/
• Use visual cues: body language, gestures, and direct eye contact with the person you’re speaking with can help convey your tone of voice.
• Rephrase what you’re saying: If they have already asked you to repeat yourself twice, rephrase your sentence rather than repeating it.

If you are an Unlimited subscriber and something happens to your hearing aids, please give us a call on 0800 737 662, and our team of audiologists and navigators will guide you through the insurance process.