I can't see their faces

This year, Tinnitus Awareness Week is probably more at the forefront of my mind, given the difficulties that have been experienced over the last year and how they have impacted on communication and isolation.  Reflecting, as I often do at the end of a year, on how on earth I managed through the last 9 months of 2020 (let alone the past 4 years) I decided over the coming weeks to share some of the little things that helped see me through.  Before I do so though, let talk a little about the safety precautions that are necessary in stemming the flow of this wretched virus and the unfortunate detrimental impact they have on people with hearing impairments.

Face coverings are absolutely essential in keeping whatever germs one is carrying to themselves.  Seriously, I can't believe we didn't use them before during cold and flu season.  Added bonus, no more sexist comments "you'd be much prettier if you smiled love" or "cheer up, might never happen"!  However, for someone who has a hearing impairment, whether that be reduced hearing, deafness, or tinnitus, when we can't see their faces, it can isolate and cut us off from communication.  Now, I can't lip read by any stretch of the imagination, but - facial expressions, the general shape of the mouth can help to fill in the blanks when I don't quite catch what someone is saying.  Even back in May, the need for clear face coverings was made evident, but they still don't seem to have caught on.  I don't even own one myself - tut tut!  

The second problem is my poor ears.  I feel for those frontline, face-to-face workers that have to wear these for extremely long shifts, the pain and irritation they cause.  When you also wear glasses - the fogging, yet another thing resting on the ears - double-whammy.  Add to the face covering/glasses combo hearing aids!  I have still not figured out how to wear all three and have to choose between going out blind, deaf or vulnerable to catching corona - so blind or deaf it is then.

Keeping two metres apart, again absolutely necessary, poses further problems in hearing what's being said. Coupled with the muffled sounds behind a face covering, that extra bit of space can make it almost impossible to follow a conversation or just catch a simple word or two.  

There is help at hand for these issues though.  The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a scheme in which people with hidden disabilities, such as hearing impairments, can wear a lanyard, wristband, pin, face covering and so on, to show that they have additional support needs/considerations.  A large number of supermarkets (where you can pick up a lanyard for free), travel industry companies and universities and others have signed up to the scheme which provides training for companies on how to recognise and support their customers and staff.  As well as a lanyard I have a purchased a card which explains that I have hearing loss.  I wear this when out shopping or in the workplace (as rare as that is) and have found staff to make a much more concerted effort to make themselves heard to me.  I have also downloaded their free videocall background (and added my own deaf symbol) to help raise awareness during the increasing number of meetings being held via this medium.