Hello everyone, Emily here if you're new to my channel I am so glad you're here today.
Today I'm going to share five, not wait, six things that friends and family members can
do to show a hard of hearing, or D/deaf family member or friend that they care.
So as I was getting ready for this video today I did my hair, and it's kind of this backward great
braid and I absolutely loved it, I was thinking about doing kind of a hard of hearing, D/deaf
confidence video where I share hairstyles that show off hearing aids or cochlear implants.
What do you think, do you think that would be a good video? Bad video? I want to hear in the comments
below.
My mission of this channel is to spread awareness for the D/deaf and hard of hearing.
To make the world a more friendly place, especially with things like coronavirus. Masks are more
common and it's making it harder than ever for the Deaf/d and Hard of Hearing, specifically
lip readers to communicate. I hope that this channel will help people be more aware of how we communicate
and how they can help us.
So please take a chance to like this video hit the thumbs up down below, and subscribe
to my channel.
I hope you stick around to the end of the video I'm going to share how long my hearing
aid batteries last.
People always ask "How long do your hearing aid batteries last?" and I thought I'd answer that,
and wonder if my batteries last as long as other people's.
I don't really know.
But typically, they have been pretty consistent in how long they last, I have noticed differences
between brands, but I'll share that again.
So here we go.
We're going to get right to it.
Here are six things that friends and family of the D/d eaf and Hard of Hearing can do for
their loved ones to show that they care.
Number one, face us.
If we cannot see your face.
We cannot hear you.
This is very applicable to, when you take a family picture.
If you can't see the cameraman.
They can't see you and you won't be in the picture. With the D/deaf and hard of hearing, if we can't
see your face,
we cannot hear you.
So, this applies to a wide range of situations.
One of the ones that I dealt with most commonly was teachers in an educational setting, they
would often be talking and turn around to write on the chalkboard or the whiteboard
and they would talk into the board, and I would sit there even though I was in the front
row and I still cannot hear them.
So if we cannot see your face.
We cannot hear you.
Another place that I really struggle with this is in the car, like if we are driving
somewhere and we have some friends in the back.
I have to turn all the way around in my seat and look at them so that I am able to hear what they're
saying. I really lip read, but it's just one thing to hear, it's another thing to understand.
So if we have the auditory information that's great.
But if we can pair that with visual information by seeing your face as you talk.
That helps a lot.
Number two, make sure we can see your lips.
So, this seems very similar to number one, but actually it's not what I mean by, make
sure we can see your lips and a lot of people will face us, but they have things that obstruct
the lips.
For example, mustaches.
A common culprit, and beards.
Take them off.
Another common culprit, especially today is masks.
No one can tell what anyone is saying! No one can tell anyone saying because we can't see the lips.
So a way to avoid this is wear a seeing easy mask.
This is a mask with a clear window that enables the D/deaf and Hard of Hearing to see lips. I made a pattern on one of these.
So if you want to know how to make one of these.
So there you go, there are some various ways that you can make sure that you show your
lips.
Okay, number three, have good lighting.
This issue is most common again in cars.
When driving at night is just when you have the sounds of the road and you have someone
talking to you, behind you and then you have to turn around and it's dark.
It's just the worst combination, or restaurants! Restaurants can be really difficult to hear
in as well, because the lighting is very dim and usually comes from down from the top.
So again, we can't really see your face, we can't really see your face. Good lighting makes
a difference.
So one way that you can keep your D/deaf and Hard of Hearing loved ones in your mind is
consider if you're going to go out to eat a restaurant that has seating that as well lit.
Another "poorly lit" item, I guess, is a social settings. Things like that where it's
just low light, again, we can't see your face, we can't see your lips.
We can't understand what you're saying.
Number four, keep us engaged in the conversation.
Consider what you're saying and make sure that it's not so one sided.
Now if you just got over a breakup with a friend, or whatever it may be and you just
need to vent, then vent.
But know that we love a conversation that keeps us engaged. We prefer small groups as
well, any group over three, at least for me, I tend to get lost so I prefer small group
settings.
If you invite your friends come out a lot notice they don't come in the group is over
four people,
the size of the group could be the issue.
So, take time to be with your friend or loved one, and *know* that large groups can be
an issue.
So take turns to talk with them and engage them, and ensure that they feel included in
the conversation.
Number five, bank on and make it a habit to repeat yourself.
This means that when you're talking to me You can say "I really liked this ice cream
flavor because it was soft and smooth.
And this ice cream flavor was just the best I've ever eaten."
Sometimes when we hear we don't hear everything but we do have bits and pieces, and our brain
has to work hard to put it all together.
So if you can restate yourself.
Or say the same thing kind of two times in a row,
it helps our brains catch up and it helps us understand what you're saying.
It gives us an opportunity to be able to stay up to date on the conversation.
Now, this also includes don't feel like you have to talk super slow or exaggerated.
Just talk like normal, but just take it into account that we are trying to keep up with
you.
And if you restate what you're saying that helps us get a chance to catch up.
Number six, ask us!
Don't be afraid to ask us, you're D/deaf and hard of hearing friends and family members,
whatever it may be, what you can do to help us.
Everyone's different, everyone has different preferences, but the ones that I've shared
are the top six ideas that I have.
When people ask me, I can tell that they really care.
And when they go to a conscious effort to go the extra mile to help me, face me,
show their lips, have good lighting,
meet me in places where I feel like I can talk to people and interact with people, when
they restate what they're saying and things like that,
it really helps.
And so there you go.
Number six is ask us.
Figure out what we prefer, and then follow through on that. Those will actually mean a lot
to us because other people just don't get it.
And they are not there the way that our friends and family can be there for us.
So when you put these little steps into action,
it is just extra sweet, and we can feel the extra love, and the care.
I also want to add that if you go the extra mile to do one of these things to show your
face to shave your mustache, or show your lips to choose a restaurant with good lighting
or a setting with good lighting, to rephrase what you're saying or to engage us in the
conversation,
make sure you tell us that! Tell us that "Hey I picked that restaurant because I was thinking
of you.
I shaved my mustache because I was thinking of you, and I want to help you feel like you
can communicate freely, when you're around me" and let me tell you that will mean the
world to your D/deaf and or hard of hearing friend(s).
So there you have it, five, oh wait no six things that you can do to show your Deaf and Hard
of Hearing friends and family members that you care about them.
I hope that you've taken a chance to like and subscribe to my channel so that I can
share more great information so that you can continue to be a blessing in the lives of those
around you and we can increase the awareness for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for everyone.
If you have any thoughts or comments, I want to hear them down below so be sure to leave them there.
You stuck around to the end of this video and I want to say "Thank you!"
So my hearing aid batteries,
They last about a week, give or take, usually it's a week, and I use the Rayovac brand,
I find that works really well for me.
Kirkland Signature,
Not so much I wasn't super impressed with that longevity.
Some would only last like four days, a week is good.
So if you found a battery that works for you.
Awesome.
Way to go, just know that there are various places that you can buy them.
Amazon is always there but I figured Amazon, and stores are typically more expensive so
I recommend checking with your audiologist.
I can get like a six month supply for about $30, which is incredible.
Also, maybe consider a rechargeable hearing aid.
I don't have rechargeable hearing aids I kind of afraid that the charge would run out before
the end of my day.
So I decided to stick with batteries.
Another tip I want to give you is make sure that if you have to hearing aids like I
do, that you do not change batteries at the same time, because if you do, they will die,
the same time. And I've been in many situations where my hearing aids die at the same time and it's horrible.
Usually I can get by with just one.
So, there's another tip for you.
I hope that helps.
Again, please if you haven't already, give this video a thumbs up please share it with
everyone so that we can increase awareness for the D/deaf and Hard of Hearing. Hit the
subscribe button down below so that you can see when I put out more awesome videos.
Thanks so much for joining me today everyone, I hope you have a great day.
Bye!