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Features

At a Loss

By Dr. Jennifer Sowards

 

The year-end holidays are fast-approaching, and it can be a festive time, with many people busy meal planning and shopping for the perfect gift.

However, for people with hearing loss, it may also be a stressful time, filled with gatherings where it will be difficult to understand conversations with family and friends. Hearing loss is tricky because it’s not an all-or-nothing thing: most people report they can hear, but it’s the clarity that becomes a problem. This is why many people still have untreated hearing loss. Most people don’t notice their own hearing loss because, to them, it sounds like other people are mumbling.

One of the first signs of hearing loss is difficulty understanding speech when there is background noise present — and this is what happens at holiday gatherings.

Even with hearing aids, navigating group settings can be a challenge. Here are some tips for the upcoming gatherings:

• Try to pick a spot that will be less noisy (away from fans or music).

• Try to position yourself as close as possible to the people you are trying to hear.

• Try not to be embarrassed to tell people you are having difficulty, and ask them to speak less rapidly or to move to a quieter spot with you.

• Pay attention to context clues to help you predict what comes next. For example, if you hear the word ‘weather,’ the next topic will likely pertain to cold, snow, rain, warm, etc.

• Don’t nod your head and smile if you didn’t understand what was said; ask the speaker to repeat to avoid embarrassing exchanges.

• If someone tells you a phone number or spells a name for you, repeat back what they said to make sure you heard it correctly.

• If you misunderstood part of a sentence, ask a specific question about the part you missed, rather than saying “what?” (For example, “where did you hide the gifts?” or “who is Ted bringing to dinner?”)

• Try to keep a positive attitude. There are some situations where it is hard to hear even for people with normal hearing.

Communication partners can also support their friends and family with hearing loss during the holidays:

• Enunciate words and face the person you are speaking with.

• Make sure you have the person’s attention if you want to tell them something important.

• Help manage background noise. Lower the volume or turn off background music or television, put down rugs in areas with hard floors (echoes in a room can exacerbate the noise), and make sure the room is well-lit to allow for clear visual cues.

• It’s OK to be frustrated, but try not to take it out on the person with hearing loss. Gentle reminders about their dependence on you might actually be helpful motivation to address any untreated hearing issues.

• Hearing aids aren’t hearing cures; even those with treated loss or normal hearing can still struggle at noisy events.

At Florence Hearing Health Care, our recommendation is for anyone noticing any hearing difficulties to have a comprehensive hearing evaluation with an audiologist to establish a baseline. The first thing we do is check to make sure there is no wax blocking the ears. We also make sure there are no infections or eardrum problems that could be treated by a physician. From this evaluation, the audiologist will be able to tell you exactly what your hearing ability is and if treatment is recommended.

Sometimes, holiday gatherings provide the inspiration for this first step in diagnosing and treating hearing loss.

 

Jennifer Sowards, Au.D. is an audiologist and founder of Florence Hearing Health Care.

Opinion

Opinion

By Cristina Rivera, LICSW

 

The holidays can be a wonderful time of the year. For some, they mean seasonal gatherings and reconnecting with loved ones. For others, however, they can be emotionally and physically challenging, and this is especially true for many who are in recovery from substance use.

Having a plan for self-care and adhering to strategies that keep one healthy are key for all of us in enjoying the annual celebrations fall and winter bring.

I encourage people to not feel pressured to say “yes” to every obligation, whether that means attendance at a social function, family gathering, or work event. Individuals in recovery often know what environments will assist them in maintaining sobriety or allow the space to not use substances. Set boundaries and choose events that support your goals.

If you attend an event where substances may be easily accessible, prepare in advance. What’s your escape strategy if needed? Plan your arrival and departure, whom you will spend time with, and whom you will not. Having your own transportation allows you to leave if you are feeling uncomfortable. Having someone along to chat with helps if you are feeling the need for extra support.

If you opt out of an event, remember that you can still enjoy time with friends and loved ones. Plan to meet where you feel both comfortable and safe in maintaining your recovery goals.

The holidays may also bring feelings of loneliness as well as negative thoughts that could lead to using substances. I stress with my clients the importance of maintaining contact with people who support them in their recovery. This may be a mentor, therapist, friend, or fellow members of a support group — anyone in their life who is a positive influence and supports their sobriety. A supportive network can mean the difference between remaining substance-free or using a substance again.

It is possible to celebrate the holiday season and maintain your personal goals in recovery. Keeping to your routine and seeking support when needed are going to be very important. The gift of life is invaluable, and during the time of giving, the greatest gift to give yourself is decision making that maintains your recovery goals.

 

Cristina Rivera is director of Outpatient Services, Substance Use Disorders at MiraVista Behavioral Health Center in Holyoke.

Holiday Party Planner

’Tis the Season

The Bellagio ballroom at MGM Springfield

The Bellagio ballroom at MGM Springfield is among the region’s newest option for parties and banquets.

Buoyed by a strong economy, these are good days for area venues that host year-end company parties — and any other type of event, really. But with so many options, it’s a competitive environment — one that has become even more so with the emergence of MGM Springfield on the scene. Yet, new players might also be boosting interest in party bookings in general, raising the fortunes of everyone who promises to bring fun and flexibility to the season’s many gatherings.

In the eight years since she opened her event-planning business, Tanya Costigan has seen plenty of changes in corporate party planning. In fact, launching her enterprise, Tanya Costigan Events, at the tail end of the Great Recession was a challenge in itself.

“There was definitely a downshift in the year-end parties, but I do feel like they are picking up a bit,” she told BusinessWest. “I think part of it has to do with some of the new venues that are here, like GreatHorse and MGM; these heavy hitters are playing a role in getting people excited. A friend of mine was looking elsewhere, and is now thinking about a client-appreciation event at MGM next month. So I think it’s triggering some excitement in the industry in general.”

Anthony Caratozzolo is certainly excited. As vice president of food and beverage at MGM Springfield, he’s been pleased with early bookings in the casino resort’s banquet space, which encompasses the Aria and Bellagio ballrooms and can host groups from 15 to 540 people.

“Each of the ballrooms comes fully themed out with holiday décor, and we have different menus to accommodate different groups,” he said. “If they want a more reception-style event, we can accommodate that. If they want a lunch or sit-down dinner, we can do a custom menu for that. We’re very versatile. All of our ballrooms can be broken into smaller rooms to accommodate smaller parties at the same time. Most places can’t accommodate different groups as well as we can.”

As an integrated resort, MGM arrived on the scene with the aim of raising the bar for entertainment and events of all kinds, including holiday parties, because attendees can move right from a party to the casino floor, the Commonwealth Bar and Lounge, a movie, bowling, ice skating, or shopping — not to mention staying overnight at the hotel.

Tanya Costigan

Tanya Costigan said she enjoys helping clients hone their vision for a broad range of parties and other events.

“Clients can also book extracurricular activities,” he said. “If they want a suite at Topgolf or want to go bowling, they can book all that with the catering manager. They just have to figure out what they want to do with their night.”

Like other event organizers who have spoken with BusinessWest leading up to the holiday season in previous years, Caratozzolo has seen a healthy mix of party requests.

“Every group is different. Some of the companies have been around a long time and tend to enjoy a formal, sit-down dinner, while the younger generations may enjoy a reception style — and both of these are built into our catering package,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of inquiries, and we’ve had some bookings.”

At a time when businesses seem to be investing in holiday parties, MGM offers another high-profile option that, at the very least, has people talking about how they want to celebrate the season and thank their employees.

Planning for Fun

Costigan told BusinessWest that sometimes a venue brings her in to plan an event, while other times the client hires her, and she might help choose the location. Describing her job as “planning, design, and management,” she has a role to play from the initial idea through the big day, helping everything run smoothly.

“I do everything from birthday parties and weddings to holiday parties,” she noted, with recent events including Square One’s annual tea party at the Starting Gate at GreatHorse, and the Link to Libraries gala at the Log Cabin.

“I might be doing the design, the planning … there’s a wide scope of things I do,” she said, noting, as Caratozzolo did, that clients are calling for a range of styles when it comes to social gatherings.

“It does vary, but I find that a lot of the people are going for the stand-up, cocktail-hour feel, with passed apps and drinks. Sometimes they do a fun, themed signature drink. And sometimes the holiday parties are not necessarily Christmas-related — I had someone do a year-end party that had the feel of a street carnival, but it was inside the venue. It’s not always winter-themed.”

Anthony Caratozzolo

Anthony Caratozzolo says many venerable companies still prefer formal sit-down dinners, while younger clients tend to opt for reception-style events.

Reasons for holiday parties vary as well, Costigan added. “I find a lot of them are for client appreciation, but, for example, I did the Keller Williams holiday party, and it was all of their different branches coming together and having a fun party. So I think sometimes it’s a bonding thing for the employees.”

Bistro 63 in Amherst has become a popular event site for area colleges and businesses, Event Manager Alyssa Blumenthal said. Business tends to pick up starting in October, not only with the approaching holidays, but because it tends to be a hot season for convention business — and those events tend to spur further bookings. “The end of October is the busiest time of year to receive holiday party bookings. We also get a lot of reunions this time of the year — high school and college.”

Because it easily transforms from a banquet space to a nightclub — often during the same event — many business owners in the area recognize it as a place where they can complement their party with an evening of dancing as well.

“That’s been fantastic; we’ve really been working on training the staff to cross-sell services,” Blumenthal said.

Bistro 63 is also known for its elaborate — and creative — cocktail program. In addition to a rotating list of custom cocktails, the venue creates unique concoctions for specific events. For example, attendees of the International Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water and Energy at UMass Amherst, which books an event at Bistro 63 each year, recently enjoyed a ‘sediment sour,’ which was made to look like dirt garnished with rosemary.

“The soil convention group is all middle-aged men, 40s and 50s, who come up to the bar with a smirk on their face, asking, ‘what smart-aleck cocktail do you have for us this year?’ And I’ll get them to try these ridiculously frilly drinks,” Blumenthal said. “We try to have fun with our events because so many people do associate us with the nightclub.”

Caratozzolo agreed that fun should be at the heart of any party.

“MGM is all about entertainment — that’s what we do, whether it’s an elaborate party or just a small get-together,” he said. “That’s what we’re good at, what we love to do; we work with clients to find out what they want. At the end of the day, they’re our guests, and every group is different.

“We’ve had large conventions, we’ve had expositions, we just booked our first wedding about two weeks ago, and we have small association groups — maybe bridge clubs or chamber events,” he went on. “We have all the capabilities to really do anything, because we’re MGM. We can open a lot of doors.”

Reasons to Party

Likewise, Bistro 63 hosts parties of all types — holiday events, corporate dinners, cocktail parties, rehearsal dinners, reunions, and more — ranging from small gatherings to large events up to 240 people. A large room can be divided into smaller spaces, including a covered deck outside.

“Last year we had the highest number of rehearsal dinners booked, and we’re super excited to continue that trend,” Blumenthal said. Also on the rise are companies hosting recruitment and networking events for students at the Five Colleges.

“We’ve hosted Google, PwC, Newell Brands, and some other regional corporations, as well as a handful school-sponsored events this year,” she added. “More than half our staff are students — UMass, mostly — and we love hosting these events because it speaks to the strength of the academic programs in the area, and it has directly resulted in increased business for our establishment.”

But holiday parties, too, have been on the rise, with bookings increasing each year as the economy continues to chug along, she told BusinessWest.

“Many companies had annual gatherings and stopped doing it for budgetary reasons, and have since put it back in the budget,” she noted, adding that Bistro 63 markets its flexibility and quick turnaround times to plan events — and that has become a key element in its growth.

Alyssa Blumenthal says being flexible and nimble with turnaround times

Alyssa Blumenthal says being flexible and nimble with turnaround times can lead to bookings that later become repeat customers.

“Those short-notice events have lots of times turned into annual events for us. Clients say, ‘maybe we do have the budget for a small dinner for our core team,’ then it goes really well, we provide service better than they expected, and they come back year after year.”

Costigan enjoys those success stories, too, like the recent Square One tea, which boasted a vintage golf theme.

“I love the design part. The planning and management are great, but the design is my favorite part,” she said, recalling the reaction of Kristine Allard, Square One’s chief development and communication officer, to Costigan’s initial designs for the event.

“When she saw my design board for what vintage golf means to me, she said, ‘oh my God, you climbed right into my head.’ It was amazing. I love that part — as well as installing the whole design, when they’re like, ‘this is great.’”

It’s a reaction any event planner or venue hopes for, when it comes to holiday parties or any other event — because it’s those reactions that keep businesses coming back, year after memorable year.

Joseph Bednar can be reached at [email protected]