One of the reasons our senior loved ones are alone at Christmas is because they choose to be. The hustle and bustle of the festivities can all seem a bit too overwhelming for many, and with a hearing loss, it can make it hard to ‘join in’ and is a major cause of isolation for many in later life.

One in three adults over the age of 65 have age-related hearing loss. When you find it hard to hear, following conversations can be difficult, especially if there is other distracting noise, and the mental effort required to be present is often too exhausting. It's imperative to consider that some of your loved ones could be choosing to isolate over the festive period for this reason and that there are simple alterations we can all make that could mean less people find themselves alone.

Hearing aid manufacturer, Oticon, provides some useful advice on ways to help the hearing-impaired to join in and reduce loneliness and isolation this festive period:

• Offer an elderly relative, friend, or neighbour a separate, quieter celebration. Ensure they know that they are not a burden and that you would prefer to spend the time with them this way also.
• Make efforts to reduce the noise at your event or have a dedicated quiet area.
• Avoid noisy venues for your festivities. Soft furnishings and low ceilings can help reduce sound bouncing around, so a quiet corner in a traditional pub is a good choice if away from home.
• Make efforts to ensure a loved one with hearing loss is sat centrally at a dinner table to help them see everyone so that they can lip read more easily.
• When having a conversation, try to avoid shouting to be heard and let everyone at your event know that being loud isn’t the solution and can come across as being aggressive. Instead, speak slower and make small pauses between your sentences, as people with hearing loss need a bit more time to make sense of sound. Also avoid waffling, use plain language, and try exaggerated gestures and facial expressions.
• You could also encourage your elderly loved ones to seek companionship with friends that they are more comfortable spending time with. Maybe even help arrange a gathering to bring some elderly friends together. This could also become a lasting arrangement that helps relieve loneliness throughout the year.
• If you know someone is choosing to stay home, and they are adamant to do so, take the time to give them a call, or if possible, visit them to let them know you are thinking of them.

Age related charities consistently report the prevalence of isolation and loneliness and how emphasized this can seem during the Christmas period for millions. The devastating impact on mental health and wellbeing, including anxiety and depression, is a major cause for concern. Most isolation is not through choice, however, for some, it is. While families look forward to coming together at Christmas and New Year, many will be choosing to stay away for the simple reason that it can be extremely overwhelming, and this willingness to isolate is much more likely for those suffering with hearing loss.

Thomas Behrens, Vice President of Audiology, Oticon comments: "We all hit a time in our lives when suddenly the music at a party ‘is too loud’. We no longer enjoy a noise cacophony and sway towards quieter pastimes. As we age, not only does our choice of entertainment change, so too does the way our brain works. Hearing well directly relates to our brain’s functionality because it is our brain that takes all the sound information available and makes it understandable. Over time, it can be more laborious for our brains to ‘make sense’ of all the sounds around us, especially when noise is thrown into the mix, and so, conversations for example, can become harder to follow. Many people living with hearing loss withdraw from socialising, which can be even more detrimental to brain health as it deprives the vital exercise that socialising provides the mind".

"Social isolation, depression and cognitive decline, including the early onset of dementia, have all been tied to the effects of social withdrawal as a result of living with untreated hearing loss. Encouraging anyone you know suffering with poor hearing to see a professional and get the support to hear better, could transform their life forever, not just for Christmas", concludes Thomas Behrens.

About Oticon

500 million people worldwide suffer from hearing loss. The majority are over the age of 50 while eight percent are under the age of 18. Oticon's vision is to create a world where people are no longer limited by hearing loss. A world where hearing aids fit seamlessly into life and help people realise their full potential, while avoiding the health consequences of hearing loss. Oticon develops and manufactures hearing aids for both adults and children and supports every kind of hearing loss from mild to profound and we pride ourselves on developing some of the most innovative hearing aids in the market. Headquartered in Denmark, we are a global company and part of Demant with more than 16,500 employees and revenues of around DKK 15 billion. Changing technology. Changing conventions. Changing lives. Oticon – Life-changing hearing technology.