Shopping for someone with hearing loss can be daunting if you are looking to get them something special that will make their lives a little easier or more enjoyable. Whether it’s for a holiday, a birthday, or just to say “I’m thinking of you!” we have you covered! Check out our top gifts for people with hearing loss below.
Earbuds and Headphones
Top-notch wireless headphones are a great gift for many people with hearing loss. These little buds allow users to more easily listen to music and phone calls, since most wireless earbuds connect to Bluetooth and send sound more directly into the ear. Wireless earbuds don’t come cheap, but they can be a godsend for someone with hearing loss.
Noise-canceling headphones are also a good gift idea for someone with mild hearing loss. You might be saying, “Why does someone with hearing loss need more silence?” However, living with hearing loss in public places can be very frustrating when you can’t clearly hear background noise. For some people, it is easier just to eliminate all noise, rather than hear garbled speech and muffled sounds.
TV Headphones
One of the most frustrating effects of hearing loss is not being able to easily watch television. There are several kinds of assistive listening devices that are specifically for combating this issue.These devices use Bluetooth or a radio signal to transmit sound from the TV directly to the headphones. These are a great gift for anyone with hearing loss.
Alarm Clocks for Hearing Loss
Even the simplest tasks, like setting an alarm for the morning, becomes more complicated when you have hearing loss. Most people depend on their phone or bedside clock’s alarm to get them up for work each day, but someone with hearing loss may not hear. Even hearing aids do not help, because most people do not sleep with their hearing aid.
There are several different alarm options for people with hearing loss: there are vibrating alarm clocks that connect to a cell phone via Bluetooth and allows users to feel alarms rather than hear them. There is also a light-up clock that use bright pulses of light to gently wake you up.
Hearing Loss Jewelry
Have you ever heard of Louder Jewelry? These funky and fun jewelry pieces can make a great gift for the fashionista with hearing loss in your life. The jewelry line was created by a young woman who suffers from tinnitus and hearing loss, and came up with a creative and stylish way to broadcast to the world that she is hard of hearing.
The jewelry is pretty and functional and can let people know that the wearer would like them to speak up. Louder Jewelry has “Hard of Hearing” necklaces, “On/Off” ear jackets that resemble hearing aid switches, “I read lips” studs, and more. You can choose from subtle or bold pieces—there is something for everyone!
Hearing Aid Decorations
Hearing aid decorations are a great gift for younger people with hearing aids, especially if they are uncertain about wearing them. Get your loved ones hearing aid charms to decorate their devices and make them look pretty. Check out Lugs, a UK-based online shop that helps you create personalized kits to decorate hearing aids with stickers, bows, and plastic covers. Or, for older kids who still want to jazz up their hearing aids, there are hearing aid skins—patterned adhesives that stick to the hearing aid or cochlear implant.
By: Elena McPhillips