Information / Resources

Helping Those with Hearing Lose Beat the Holiday Blues

A Healthy Message from Clarity and The EAR Foundation

Helen Keller once said, "When you're blind you lose touch with things, but when you're deaf you lose touch with people."

Fortunately since Keller's time, the deaf community has developed a rich culture that fosters a deep sense of belonging. But for millions of Americans who are gradually losing their hearing and have no roots in the deaf community - including almost half of the country's Baby Boomers - losing touch with others is often isolating and devastating.

This sense of isolation can be particularly acute during the holidays, and lead to seasonal depression - otherwise known as "the holiday blues."

"The feeling of frustration that many people with hearing loss experience at this time of year is very painful and very real," said Dr. David Haynes, Director of Otology and Neuro-Otology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and an advisor to The EAR Foundation. "It's the season for family and friends to come together and enjoy one another's company, and they can feel excluded from that."

"Those of use in the hearing-health profession are working to alleviate this phenomenon, and we're encouraging others who may know someone with a hearing loss to do the same."

Dr. Haynes and others recommend that those who may be subject to seasonal depression due to hearing loss alert their network of family and friends about their pain and anxiety. These family members and friends, he added, should respond by being sensitive and by seeking concrete solutions.

If you are feeling down due to hearing loss, experts suggest that you find time to relax, set realistic goals and expectations for the season, volunteer to help someone else, start new holiday traditions that are visually-oriented (such as visiting or creating holiday lighting displays), and spending time with supportive and caring people.

If you know someone with a hearing loss, make sure to stay focused on that individual's needs when making holiday plans. For example, stay away from venues that are noisy in favor of more intimate settings. Avoid playing loud music at gatherings that can get in the way of conversation. And finally, consider an amplified telephone, such as those available from Clarity, as a holiday gift. It is a thoughtful way to help someone with a hearing loss stay connected - and maybe even beat the holiday blues.