How To Have A Special Mother’s Day With Hearing Loss

Mother’s Day is a particular time to celebrate those who play a tremendous role in our lives. It is a great time to show appreciation to those moms, stepmoms, and others who take on the mother role. How will you celebrate it this year? A party or a special dinner at a favorite restaurant perhaps? What if your mother is hearing impaired? Will that change the agenda for the day or alter your gift ideas? If your mother has difficulty hearing and you are at a loss for gift ideas, consider some unique gifts this year.

Start The Day Right

Without question, the most critical step you can take to make your mom’s day special is by implementing a few tips that will show her respect and love. Here are a few ways to show love and address her hearing needs:

• Use face to face communication. By doing this, you make the conversation more comfortable for mom as she can see your lips moving.
• Keep the talk at eye level. Conversation is better when mom can see and hear you.
• Turn on the lights. If the weather is agreeable, suggest celebrating outside. If you do stay inside, make sure there is ample lighting.
• Speak clearly. As you engage your mother in conversation, keep it clear, distinct, and avoid the use of slang.
• Minimize background noise. If you are treating mom to a nice meal at a favorite restaurant, find a place with minimum background noise.
• Seat yourself beside your mother. This type of seating arrangement is a huge help for your mother if she is struggling to hear what a server is saying. You can help her along easily when seated beside her.
• Keep it quiet. When visiting mom at home, keep the television or radio turned down or try to converse in a quiet room within the house.

Gift Ideas

A hearing problem need not affect your great time this Mother’s Day. With a little planning, you can find the perfect gift for mom. Gifts for the hearing impaired can be practical, high-tech, and creative. If your mother tends to approach life in a realistic fashion consider:

• A free hearing aid cleaning
• A two-month supply of batteries
• A phone designed for the hearing impaired
• An alarm clock that vibrates

If your mother is an early adopter of the latest technology, there is a vast selection of gifts for the hearing impaired. A few of these gadgets include:

• A visual alert system
• A television amplifying device
• A captioned telephone

If mom is the creative type, then you can try something a little bit different. Shake up the routine with these innovative ideas:

• Fairy wings for her hearing aids
• Hearing aid secure cords
• Consider a donation in your mother’s name to a hearing organization

Make The Day Special

All mothers, regardless if they are hearing impaired or not, deserve a fantastic Mother’s Day. If your mother has a hearing loss, plan for gifts that will not only show you love her but also provide help for her hearing loss. Make an effort to consider your mother’s hearing when planning the day so she can be involved in the conversation and activities. Moreover, as you are out and about, pick up a fresh bouquet of flowers for her as well. She certainly deserves it!