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We are faced with unusual limitations on how we celebrate this coming holiday season. For this reason, many of us will turn to virtual gatherings to reconnect with our family members.
How can we make the most of these events? If you have tried them in the past, you will know that they can be tricky to navigate, particularly for those with communication disabilities such as hearing loss. Despite their ubiquity, video calls are a far cry from a large family gathering’s naturalness and convenience, but they are the best we can do when social distance is required.
A few tips can help us rekindle the joy of holiday reunions while maintaining the health and well-being of those we care about.
Get everyone on the same page.
It is crucial for virtual gatherings that you set clear expectations about the event. Ensure that everyone knows when the virtual event is about to begin so that everyone turns up on time. Speak ahead of time about the schedule, and ensure that your family has time to plan something.
It’s a good idea to set goals before the virtual family reunion if you want to schedule any holiday activities. You should draw up a schedule of the events and give them ahead of time to your family. During the meeting, everyone will know what to expect and be prepared for any activities you’ve scheduled.
Do a dry run ahead of time.
Be sure to test everything out with a few family members if you’ve never had an online meeting before. Before reunion day, make sure you know how to set up the video chat room, invite guests, and iron out any technical glitches. With online meetings, some members of your family may not be so comfortable with the platform used, and you can help them learn to log in, switch on their camera, or unmute their mics.
Before the reunion, doing a test will take the pressure off, and you will be more relaxed when hosting the meetings. It will also alleviate the apprehension that some of your family members will feel about having a virtual reunion.
Keep the games flowing.
Games are one of the most well-received aspects of any family reunion, so why not recreate the fun virtually? There are several platforms, and you can also use some of the platform’s features, such as whiteboards or breakout rooms, to run team games.
It can involve some preparation ahead of time if you want to play a game together. To make sure everyone is involved, get in touch with the family members before the meeting. Before the night of the game, you may also want to give instructions to make sure people know how to play. Games can be a fun way to get everyone involved, especially if you have a larger group of family members to corral.
Communication tips for video chats
Do you have any members of your family who have hearing loss? Turn on closed captioning so that hearing loss family members can read what’s being said. Also, please encourage them to engage in the meeting using a laptop or desktop computer. Using a computer makes it easier for them to see everyone and follow what’s being said.
They may also find it easier to stay involved if everyone adheres to the following video chat etiquette:
- Take turns talking. Use the ‘hand up’ feature and mute the microphone when not speaking.
- Make sure everyone has good lighting, avoiding any bright light behind them. Bright lighting makes it easier to see others’ faces, note facial gestures, and pick up non-verbal signs.
- Get everyone to set up their phone camera in one stop and not move around so much.
- It’s amusing to use festive backgrounds, but this can make it more challenging to observe your family members’ conversations with hearing loss. The backgrounds often glitch or flash on and off, and this diversion makes it more challenging to concentrate on understanding the words.
What to give the family member with hearing loss
With hearing loss, the best gift you can give your loved one is the gift of hearing. If they haven’t yet been treated for their hearing loss, ask them to arrange a hearing test with us! We are here to help reconnect people to their loved ones and the sounds in their lives.