Holiday gatherings are a time for catching up with family, sharing meals, and enjoying conversations. But for someone with hearing loss, a busy family dinner or crowded restaurant can make those conversations difficult to follow.
If you've noticed a parent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, or another loved one struggling to hear during holiday gatherings, you may be wondering whether hearing aids could help.
This guide explains what to look for when choosing hearing aids for restaurants, holiday gatherings, and other crowded environments, and how current MDHearing models compare.
Key Takeaways
The best hearing aids for noisy environments aren't necessarily the most expensive, they should have features that address the wearer's specific listening challenges.
Directional microphones and noise reduction can help make conversations easier to follow when background noise is present.
Multiple environment settings can be useful when moving between quiet rooms, restaurants, and crowded gatherings.
BTE and ITE hearing aids have different design and feature considerations, so neither style is automatically better for noisy environments.
Rechargeable hearing aids can make daily use simpler, especially for older adults who don't want to manage disposable batteries.
For MDHearing shoppers, models such as the VOLT 4, VOLT MAX 2, NEO XS, and NEO XS PRO offer different combinations of noise reduction, environment settings, controls, and other features.
Hearing aids can improve access to speech, but they cannot completely eliminate background noise.
Why Are Noisy Environments Difficult for People With Hearing Loss?
Hearing loss can make it harder to distinguish speech from competing sounds. In a quiet room, someone may be able to follow a conversation fairly well. Add several people talking, background music, clattering dishes, or restaurant noise, and understanding speech can become much more difficult.
The FDA notes that hearing aids may improve communication in noisy situations such as restaurants and large groups, but they also have limitations. Hearing aids can amplify some background noise along with speech, so they don't make every noisy environment completely quiet.
Holiday gatherings can be particularly challenging because they often combine several sources of sound:
Multiple people talking at once
Music or television in the background
Dishes and silverware
Kitchen or household noise
Conversations coming from different directions
Large rooms with echoes
People moving around while talking
That's why it's useful to look beyond simple amplification when comparing hearing aids.
What Features Help With Background Noise?
When you're researching the best hearing aids for noisy environments, focus on features that can help the wearer concentrate on speech while managing competing sounds.
Directional Microphones
Instead of treating sounds from every direction equally, directional microphone technology can emphasize sound coming from a particular direction. This can be helpful when the person is sitting across from someone at a restaurant or dinner table.
Noise Reduction
Noise reduction is another important consideration.
This technology is designed to reduce the level of certain background sounds compared with the sounds the wearer is trying to hear. It doesn't mean that restaurant noise or holiday-party noise disappears completely, but it can help bring speech to the forefront and make the listening environment more manageable.
The FDA identifies noise reduction as a hearing aid feature that can reduce background noise relative to the sounds the wearer is trying to hear.
Adjustable Listening Settings
The ideal hearing environment can change throughout the day.
Hearing aids with different environment settings can allow the wearer to adjust how the device processes sound for different situations. This can be especially useful for someone who regularly moves between quiet and noisy environments.
Easy-to-Use Controls
Technology is only useful if the person wearing the hearing aids can comfortably use it.
When choosing hearing aids for a senior family member, consider whether they can easily:
Adjust the volume
Change listening settings
Charge the hearing aids
Put them on and remove them
Understand the controls
Make adjustments when their surroundings change
What Type of Hearing Aid Is Best for Noisy Environments?
There isn't one hearing aid style that's automatically best for every person or every noisy environment.
The two styles you'll commonly encounter are BTE hearing aids and ITE hearing aids.
BTE Hearing Aids
Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids sit behind the ear and connect to the ear through a tube or receiver. They can offer room for features such as multiple microphones, environmental settings, physical controls, and rechargeable components.
For someone whose primary concern is hearing speech in busy environments, a BTE model with directional microphones and advanced noise reduction may be worth considering.
ITE Hearing Aids
In-the-ear (ITE) hearing aids sit in the bowl of the ear or the ear canal. One potential advantage is their more discreet design. Depending on the model, they can also offer features such as environmental settings, noise reduction, and smartphone controls. However, because of their size and placement inside the ear, ITEs cannot support directional microphones.
ITE models may be appealing to someone who prioritizes a smaller, less visible design.
Comparing MDHearing Hearing Aids for Noisy Environments
If you're researching hearing aid options for seniors, MDHearing currently offers several OTC models in both BTE and ITE styles. The current lineup includes the NEO, NEO XS, NEO XS PRO, AIR 3, VOLT 4, and VOLT MAX 2.
| MDHearing Model | Style | Noise/Environment Features | Controls |
|---|---|---|---|
| VOLT 4 | BTE | Advanced noise reduction, dual directional microphones, 4 environment settings | Volume and program control on device |
| VOLT MAX 2 | BTE | Intelligent noise reduction, dual directional microphones, 4 environment settings, adaptive program, personalized sound | Smartphone app or controls on device |
| AIR 3 | BTE | Noise reduction, 4 environment settings | Volume and program control on device |
| NEO XS | ITE | Improved noise reduction, 4 environment settings | Volume and program control on device |
| NEO XS PRO | ITE | Improved noise reduction, 4 environment settings, personalized sound | Smartphone app or controls on device |
| NEO | ITE | Noise reduction, 1 environment setting | Volume and program control on device |
Best MDHearing Hearing Aids by Use Case
Choosing a hearing aid is easier when you start with where your family member has the most difficulty hearing. Here are a few ways to narrow down the current MDHearing options based on specific needs:
| Use Case | Model to Explore | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Busy restaurants | VOLT 4 | Directional microphones, advanced noise reduction, 4 environment settings |
| Large gatherings | VOLT MAX 2 | Adaptive directional microphones, intelligent noise reduction, self fitting, 4 environment settings, smartphone control |
| Discreet design | NEO XS PRO | ITE design, noise reduction, self fitting, smartphone control |
| Simple controls | NEO XS | ITE design, volume control, noise reduction, 4 environment settings |
What If Your Loved One Is New to Hearing Aids?
If your parent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, or another loved one is getting hearing aids for the first time, don't wait until the biggest holiday gathering to learn how they work.
Give them time to become comfortable with:
Putting the hearing aids on
Removing them
Adjusting the volume
Changing environment settings
Charging them
Understanding what different settings do
Hearing sounds their brain hasn’t heard in a while
NIDCD recommends practicing with hearing aids and testing them in the listening environments where the wearer has difficulty hearing. It can take time to adjust to wearing hearing aids, as the brain needs time to adapt to hearing sounds differently and relearn how to process sounds that may have been difficult to hear for a while. Wearing hearing aids consistently can help the brain become more accustomed to these sounds and make listening feel more natural over time.
Make the Holidays Easier to Hear with MDHearing
The holidays should be about enjoying time together, not sitting out of conversations because it's difficult to hear.
If someone you love is struggling at restaurants, family dinners, or crowded gatherings, this can be a good time to explore their hearing aid options. MDHearing offers OTC hearing aids in both BTE and ITE styles, with options ranging from straightforward controls to personalized sound and smartphone connectivity.
Explore MDHearing's hearing aids to compare models, or take an online hearing test to learn more about your hearing needs before choosing a device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do hearing aids help with background noise?
Yes, but they don't eliminate it entirely. Noise reduction and directional microphones can help manage competing sounds and make conversations easier to follow.
Are directional microphones good for noisy environments?
Yes. Directional microphones can emphasize sounds coming from a particular direction, which can help when you're trying to follow one conversation among multiple voices.
Are BTE or ITE hearing aids better for noisy environments?
Neither style is automatically better. BTE and ITE models can both offer noise-management features; the right choice depends on the specific model and the wearer's preferences and needs.
Which hearing aid features are best for seniors?
Look for features that match the person's daily routine, such as easy controls, rechargeable power, noise reduction, and adjustable listening settings. Simplicity and comfort are just as important as advanced technology.
Are rechargeable hearing aids a good option for older adults?
Yes,rechargeable hearing aids can simplify daily use by eliminating the need to regularly replace disposable batteries. Consider whether the wearer is comfortable with the charging routine.
Which MDHearing hearing aids are best for noisy environments?
The VOLT 4 and VOLT MAX 2 include dual directional microphones, multiple environment settings, and noise-reduction technology. The NEO XS and NEO XS PRO offer ITE alternatives with noise reduction and multiple environment settings.