A reader who described herself as “an 85-year-old woman who is extremely hard of hearing” wrote in with this question: “Most restaurants are very noisy — music, loud talk — and I can’t understand any conversation. Where are the quiet places where I can enjoy a conversation with my fellow diners?”

The volume level in dining spaces has indeed been rising, and the prevalence of hearing loss among Americans is growing as well. They’re not necessarily connected, but together they can turn dinner or drinks with friends into a frustrating night out, with potential implications for both the business and its clientele.

And hearing loss doesn’t just affect older Americans. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders: