Silent Night: Nearly three quarters of 18-34-year olds avoid Christmas social occasions because of their hearing

December diaries are typically packed with festive get-togethers – but new research shows that Christmas parties are a ‘silent night’ for nearly three quarters of 18-34-year olds who skip social situations because they find it hard to hear.

Research commissioned by MED-EL, a global innovation leader in hearing loss solutions, revealed that hearing loss doesn’t uniquely discriminate older age groups. 72% of 18-34-year olds say they’ve avoided social situations because they find it hard to hear, compared with a national average of 44%. Over half of that age group (52%) say they have felt left out in a group situation because they could not hear properly (versus a 39% national average).

The new research has also found that half (48%) of 45-64 year olds find it hard to hear in group situations and in turn, over a quarter (27%) deliberately avoid socialising over the Christmas period and actively avoid attending Christmas parties.

Over a quarter (27%) say they have to ask others what they have just said during the festive season as they feel left out of the conversation unable to hear.

The study showed that hearing loss affects more than half (53%) of the population personally, with 52% of Brits having a close family member that struggles with loss of hearing. As such, the condition can impact everyone at social events.  Two in five (40%) Brits say they have to repeat themselves or raise their voice in order to be heard (57%).

MED-EL Managing Director, Cassandra Brown, reflects on the findings and urges families to have Christmas compassion. “Christmas should be a time to relax and spend time with nearest and dearest, but our research shows that for the hard-of-hearing it can actually be an isolating and stressful experience.  We know that people want to go the extra mile to make their friends and family feel welcome, but perhaps lack the right language or coping mechanisms when hosting someone who suffers hearing loss – especially younger guests that you wouldn’t expect to be affected by the condition. We also advise anyone who is personally impacted by hearing issues in social situations to make a resolution to book a hearing test in 2020 and get professional advice.”

Ben Meredith, Senior Clinical Specialist, has the following advice for supporting loved ones with hearing loss this Christmas:

• Face the person that you’re talking to so that they can see your lips
• Try to keep background noise such as the TV or music to a minimum so that it’s easier for people to hear conversations
• Simply speak normally using a clear voice as shouting can distort your speech
• Be patient and repeat yourself if needed so that your loved ones feel included
• Encourage anyone with untreated hearing loss to seek professional help