Sixty per cent of Canadians experience some kind of hearing loss, and that can pose issues over the holidays with many gatherings and parties to celebrate.

Leon Mills, executive director of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association NL, says there are some things that a person who is hard of hearing can do, such as asking the establishment in question to turn down the music. That may not go over well, so he recommends asking for a booth with a high back to filter out some of the noisy discussions and laughter.

Mills, who wears two hearing aids, says the onus is on the person with hearing loss to make it known that they have trouble hearing.

People can also ask for a table off to the side and position themselves where they can see people’s faces, because people tend to read lips even if they’re not trained to do so, says Mills.