Making Your Home Accessible for Deaf & Hard of Hearing Guests
If you have family members or friends who are deaf or hard of hearing, read on to learn how to make their stay more comfortable!
If you are a host who loves to entertain or organize family gatherings, it is essential that everyone feels included. The most recent statistics from the National Council on Aging show that over 60 million Americans are either deaf or hard of hearing. Consequently, you may have a relative or friend who needs thoughtful accommodations. We will show how to incorporate accessibility into your home.
Deaf and hard of hearing people have hearing loss on a spectrum, leading to a variety of needs and communication preferences. Some may prefer sign language, while others might prefer lip reading, exchange paper & pen, or rely on assistive technology like Nagish Live Transcribe. It’s important to understand that each individual’s approach to communication can differ, so finding out your guests’ specific preferences and adapting accordingly is key. Generally, people who are deaf or hard of hearing tend to be visually oriented, may not pick up on auditory cues, and might struggle in group settings.
Environmental
One of the biggest impacts you can have on your home is in the environment. From the amount of lighting to the choices and placements of furniture, the environment can help make your guests feel more at ease.
Lighting
Harsh lighting and shadows make it challenging to converse in sign language, lipread, or pick up on visual cues. Ensure there is enough lighting around your home with floor lamps, overhead lights, and natural light from windows.
Sight Lines
Check that you have clear sight lines around your home. Bulky furniture, tall plants, and other obstructions can prevent a deaf or hard of hearing person from using their vision effectively. For example, a large potted plant or a decorative centerpiece in the middle of the dining table can obstruct views and make it harder for your guests to follow conversations. Move anything that may get in the way of a conversation.
Furniture Placement
For your living room, be sure your furniture is arranged so everyone can see each other. Placing seating in a U-shaped or parallel lines is preferable for most. If your home has an open floor plan, be sure nothing blocks the views between people, whether they are in the kitchen, living room, or dining room.
If you are furniture shopping, round or oval tables make it easier to see everyone. With square furniture, the people on either side of the guest are more challenging to view.
Minimize Noise
Some hosts like music playing in the background to set the mood. Be sure it’s at a low volume, or it can make it more difficult for a hard of hearing person to pick up conversations. Also, be willing to turn off music or other sources of noise in your home if necessary.
Entertainment
Movies or Football?
Dinner parties and football games go hand in hand. Before your guests arrive, take the time to set up closed captioning on your TV. Whether you watch movies or sports, your guests will appreciate being able to enjoy the programming as well.
Playing Games
Many friends and famililies enjoy gathering around the table after a meal to play games. Aim to pick games that are not auditory-based and are inclusive of your guests, such as Jenga, Tranquility, Happy Salmon (silent version), Telestrations, Charades (dry-erase board for guesses), and Scrabble, to name a few.
Many deaf people play deaf versions of mainstream games, such as Uno. Instead of shouting “Uno!” the player has to knock the table before being caught with one card left. Your guest may be willing to show you similar “deaf games.”
During Meals
Meal time can lead to “dinner table syndrome” for some deaf and hard of hearing people. However, you can take steps to be inclusive during a meal — here are some tips!
Turn-taking
In the deaf community, turn-taking is a highly valued practice. Adopting and enforcing a rule during meals of only speaking one at a time is a good idea. Overlapping conversations are tough to keep up with, adding to the background noise.
Dry-erase Boards
Many stores, like Walmart or the Dollar Store, have low-cost dry-erase boards. Paired with dry-erase markers, they are a great tool for writing notes back and forth. Having a board near every few people makes it accessible for someone to write down what was missed. Plus, it’s great for charades later!
Nagish Live Transcribe
If your deaf or hard of hearing guest uses Nagish, encourage them to open Live Transcribe during your conversation for live auto captioning of spoken speech. Its use is not time-limited, and it’s also private and free with customizable features:dark/light mode, font size, flipped view, and ability to tap or shake to clear screen.
Plus One Invitation
If you are hosting a large gathering, consider inviting your guest to bring a friend. Especially if your guest is an ASL user, having another deaf friend or ASL user there will ensure they have a conversation partner during your event.
Social Etiquette
Here are some social etiquette tips for interacting with your deaf or hard of hearing guests. Following these will help ensure inclusion and avoid embarrassment.
Repeat, Repeat
One of the most common phrases the deaf community receives is “It’s not important” or “I’ll tell you later.” Be willing to repeat things that are missed in the moment or write them down—no matter how small or trivial.
Speak Clearly
For your hard of hearing guests, clear speech is essential for understanding. Talk at a normal pace and volume, without mumbling or whispering. Yelling does not help with comprehension.
Inform Often
Many cues are far more auditory-based than most people realize. You may be chatting with your guest when the doorbell rings or the oven alarm beeps. Often, people get up to answer the alert, but the deaf or hard of hearing person is unaware of why they left suddenly mid-conversation. Inform your guests of what is happening to keep them in the loop.
Learn Sign Language
Taking the time to look up and learn a few signs goes a long way in making your guests feel valued. There are websites with free online dictionaries, such as LifePrint. Signs like “bathroom,” “salt,” “more,” “please,” and “How are you?” are a practical start.
Interpreter Fund
If you have a large family, encouraging everyone to contribute to an interpreter savings fund will ensure you can hire an ASL interpreter for big events such as family reunions, weddings, and funerals. Deaf people whose families do this as a practice report feeling strong family connections as a result. One deaf person wrote that she was amazed at the family stories that were shared in a reunion that she never knew growing up.
Summary
There are many factors to consider when making your home hospitable for a deaf or hard of hearing guest. From being socially aware to adjusting your environment to offering inclusive meals and entertainment, you can make your guests feel welcome and included in your home. For many, the little things go a long way and will ensure your guests are equally valued.
Molly, a Deaf mom of two CODAs, lives with her hearing partner of almost 14 years in the scenic Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia. Profoundly Deaf since 18 months old, she enjoys writing about the lived Deaf experiences and advocacy. In her free time she reads, and is very slowly working on authoring her first book.
