Last week, I held two meetings to discuss the acoustics in The Crossings. About a dozen residents attended sharing their input and experiences in the restaurant. We talked about some of the physical challenges, possible solutions and key things to consider when looking for solutions to the acoustical issue. I heard from multiple residents about how important it is to hear each other in the restaurant. Residents use The Crossings as a gathering and communication space to spend time with others and socialize. They had multiple ideas about how to absorb sound, such as tapestries hung on the walls, ceiling tiles or even rearranging the room. A prevalent hearing issue in the restaurant are for people who wear hearing aids. Hearing aids pick up background noise rather than their table mate’s voice. One of the residents stated, “acoustics for this room was probably way down on someone’s list.” A good portion of the discussion revolved around architectural issues within the building not reflecting the needs of the residents. But through information sharing during these meetings another resident mentioned, “I think we can improve it.”
It was so helpful to hear how residents experience the restaurant to help direct me on what to research for possible solutions. My next step is to talk to some experts! Stay tuned!