Moving to a new house or apartment is an exciting time. Many newer homes and apartments are now designed with features to assist people with hearing loss. If you plan on moving soon, keep these amenities in mind:
Wide open spaces
A home with an open floor plan is optimal because it allows for long sight-lines. As you browse for your future home, consider those with kitchens that open into the next room and have clear sight paths to and from the dining area. Additionally, you may want to inquire about acoustic enhancements such as wall tiles and heavy curtains that can absorb background noise. Such additions can make it easier to listen to conversations, as they dampen ambient sound.
Safety measures
When looking for a new place to live, you want to make sure it’s as safe as possible. For people with hearing loss, that means smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and security systems with flashing lights as well as loud alarms. You may even want to get a sound-activated knocker for your front door that turns on a light when someone knocks.
Connected devices
A connected home has several key benefits. A high-speed Internet connection ensures that assistive devices such as CapTel captioned telephones are properly supported. Consider installing an FM or loop system that works with hearing aids. Just be sure to check with your landlord if electrical wiring is involved.
Scheduled service calls
If you’re moving into an apartment, ask the landlord to schedule service calls over email. This makes it easy to work calls into your calendar, plus you won’t have to worry about missing a knock at the door.
Animal assistance
No matter what policy an apartment building has concerning pets, service animals are always allowed inside. That goes for cats as well as dogs!
