Midday Maryland - Mask Wearing and Hearing Impairment
February 18, 2021More than 50 million Americans have some form of hearing loss, and mask-wearing has increased isolation and anxiety about communicating. Regina Presley, Au.D., FAAA, CCC/A, Senior Cochlear Implant Audiologist, explains if you are communicating with someone who has hearing loss in-person while wearing a mask, it's important to speak slowly, clearly, and loudly to ensure you are understood. On a virtual platform, ask for mics to be muted unless speaking. Many virtual meeting platforms have captioning available, and there are apps that offer real-time captioning as well.
If you believe you may be suffering from hearing loss The Presbyterian Board of Governors Cochlear Implant Center of Excellence at GBMC may be able to help.