8 Communication Tips for Parties, Concerts & Gatherings

You might be headed to a party at a friend or family member’s house, to a restaurant, you might be attending a big fat wedding reception at a banquet hall or maybe you’ll be hosting festivities at your home. One thing you might need to consider is how to manage potentially very noisy environments, while still partying like it’s 1999 and having a great time.

Below are some tips on what you can do to make it easier for you to communicate with your friends and loved ones. Also, equally as important, are suggestions on how to protect your hearing in the midst of all the revelry.

1. For dinner parties, having everyone seated around an oval or round table allows everyone to see each other and assist with better communication. If you don’t have the benefit of an oval or round table, seat yourself in the middle of one side of the table instead of at the end of the table.
2. Eating by candlelight or dimmed lights is nice, but having a bright, well lit room will help you see your guests’ faces and especially see their mouths.
3. Anyone with Hearing Loss knows how difficult background noise can make any conversation, so keep things like TV watching and video games in another room. Loud music sounds great, but you might want to keep it at a lower level so that everyone can hear each other without difficulty.
4. If you’re at a house party or you’re hosting the party, you may want to find a quiet spot at some point to give yourself a break and enjoy a little quiet time. It can be fatiguing when you’re straining to listen and figure out what people are saying.
5. If you’re planning on going out for dinner you may want to request a table in a well lit area of the room that is away from any speakers, jukeboxes, or TVs.
6. One thing that’s important is letting people know you have a hearing loss. Let them know that if they want to speak to you they should first get your attention and then speak to you one person at a time.
7. If you’re going to any big performances keep in mind that concert speakers can reach up to 145 decibels. You should note that sounds above 85 decibels can begin to cause hearing loss depending on how long and how often you’re exposed to these sounds. So look around and be sure you’re not standing or sitting next to any speakers. You may want to bring earplugs or headphones for when it will inevitably get too loud.
8. Now this tip doesn’t have anything to do with hearing or hearing loss, but it’s still important. If you plan on drinking while you’re out, please be responsible and don’t drive. You can take a cab home or stay overnight at a friend’s house. Dubbed “the better way,” the TTC has many routes that run 24 hours. So don’t be shy, take advantage of these options and be safe, so that you can live to party another day.