If you want to make your home more hearing loss-friendly, take a look at this list for ideas.
Creating an environment in your home that is accessible and hearing loss-friendly doesn’t take a lot of effort. With a few minor changes or thoughtful additions, you can elevate your home into a place for comfortable communication, greater independence, and reduced stress for guests of all hearing abilities. We’ve gathered a few ideas to make your home more hearing loss-friendly, but you can certainly adapt or brainstorm ideas you’d like to try yourself to fit your hearing and communication preferences. Let’s jump in.
Open up your sight lines
Visual cues are an important communication tool, especially for people with hearing loss. An open floor plan allows people to see facial expressions and lip movements from multiple angles. You can improve sight lines by rearranging furniture or relocating tall objects like bookcases, table centerpieces, and large plants. Move bulky lamps, line-of-sight blocking items, or taller floor plants out of the way to create unobstructed views that make conversations easier to follow. Clear line-of-sight arrangements also help people to see visual alert systems more easily.
Quiet the background noise
Background noise can compete with conversation and make it difficult to hear clearly. Simple practices like turning off televisions, radios, and fans when you are talking can help reduce auditory clutter. Sound-dampening materials like heavy draperies, carpets, or rugs can also help block exterior noises from lawn‑care equipment, traffic, and construction sounds. Inside the home, plush furnishings, acoustic ceiling or wall panels, and soft rugs absorb sound so that voices don’t echo. If you are shopping for appliances, look for quieter dishwashers and washing machines to keep background noise to a minimum.
Use visual and vibration alerts
Traditional sound-based alarms may not be reliable for everyone, but there are plenty of vibration and light-based alerting system alternatives. Vibrating alarm clocks can be placed under a pillow and wake you with adjustable vibration instead of using a loud beep. Pagers and notification systems or smartphone integrations send gentle vibrations to alert you to doorbells, crying babies, or even severe weather alerts. Wearable devices, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, also provide discreet vibration notifications to call your attention to calls and messages.
Visual alerts rely on light. Visual fire alarms pair strobe lights with traditional sirens, alerting someone to smoke even if they can’t hear the alarm. Flashing doorbell indicators can replace ringing bells with blinking lights that signal a visitor. Many appliances now include smart‑home lighting features that flash when the oven timer or washing cycle is complete. CapTel phones have built-in light signals that flash when a call comes in, and many cell phones can be set to flash for notifications.
Connect to your hearing aids via Bluetooth
Modern hearing devices, including hearing aids, have evolved beyond simple amplification. Bluetooth technology turns them into wireless headsets, enabling you to connect directly to phones, TVs, and other devices. Connecting your hearing aids via Bluetooth allows static-free conversations and streaming audio directly to your ears. Connecting your devices to appliances, such as televisions or smartphones, can help improve your listening experience and reduce feedback.
Install a CapTel Captioned Phone and other hearing technologies
CapTel Captioned Telephones are phones for people with hearing loss that display captions of the phone conversation on a large screen. All models are compatible with hearing aids, so you can read and listen simultaneously during your phone calls. CapTel phones offer a variety of alert systems that visually indicate when the phone is ringing or when you have answering machine messages, so you’ll never worry about missing a call.
With these simple tips, you can effectively improve your home to be more hearing loss-friendly and accessible. This is just a small start to the changes you can make, so be sure to talk with your audiologist about other resources or devices that may benefit you and your home. For additional hearing health information and ideas, visit the CapTel blog.
