Throw a hearing loss-friendly dinner get-together everyone can enjoy.
The fall and winter months are a great time to host a cozy dinner party with friends or family! Dinner parties allow you to get out of the cold and get a group together to talk, laugh, eat, and simply enjoy quality time together. When hosting these fun nights, be sure to keep your guests with hearing loss in mind to ensure everyone has an enjoyable and comfortable time.
Some ideas to plan a hearing loss-friendly dinner party include:
- Print the dinner menu
- Make sure the space is quiet enough for comfortable conversation
- Keep the area well-lit
- Be mindful of the seating arrangements
- Ask your guests’ preferences
Read on for details about each of these hearing loss-friendly dinner party tips!
Print the dinner menu
A great way to share what you’ll be serving at your dinner party is to print the menus out so that everyone knows what to expect. This is helpful for any guest, not only for those with hearing loss! You can get creative and use a free online tool to create a fun menu with a seasonal design, or you can keep it simple and write it by hand.
Be sure the space is quiet enough for comfortable conversation
When you invite people over, one or two quiet chats can quickly turn into many different conversations happening at one time. There are a few steps you can take to help friends and family with hearing loss be able to follow the discussions and catch every word. One option is to keep any music or TV at low volume or off to mitigate the need to talk over the sound. Another would be to have a designated quiet area for conversations without the distraction of TV, dishes, and other loud sounds.
Keep the area well-lit
People experiencing hearing loss may use lipreading to help them follow the conversation and understand what others are saying. Be sure that the dining area and conversation areas are well-lit to help make this easier. Find some lamps, candles, or other lighting if needed to add light and some lovely warmth to the space.
Be mindful of the seating arrangements
To help friends and family with hearing loss at dinner, set the table with people facing each other and only short or small centerpieces to ensure that everyone can see each other’s faces for easier conversation. It may also be helpful to seat those with hearing loss away from the TV, stereo, kitchen, or kids’ table to help mitigate louder sounds that could make it difficult for them to hear.
Ask your guests’ preferences
People with hearing loss will have different preferences when it comes to communicating, especially in group settings. Respectfully asking them how you can best create a comfortable environment will allow you to make those changes and help everyone enjoy a fun night.
With these tips, you’re ready to host a hearing loss-friendly dinner party! You can always find more holiday-specific gathering tips and advice on hosting guests with hearing loss on the CapTel blog.
