Hi ASPIRE
My dad is sensitive to noise too and on a bad day will react.
There are residents who call out a lot, including "Can I die now" - there are residents who tap and bang - there are residents who talk to themselves and very interesting things are said in very colourful language - there are residents who will pick an argument
The staff know the residents well and use several techniques with them - they know who not to place near each other - they sit some in the quiet lounge for periods - some residents are taken to their own rooms (most have a TV and music available) - most are cajoled along - some are told firmly that they are disturbing others and must stop - music is played in the lounge to help the atmosphere
and, sadly, once in a while there are tricky interactions - the staff firmly take control and are able to separate and lead in opposite directions, largely because the residents do accept the 'authority' of the staff who work hard to build positive relationships
with my dad, it's best to watch for the signs that he is becoming anxious and agitated and remove him to the peace and quiet of his room to settle - and no he's not 'grounded' or sent to Coventry or anything nasty or malicious - he prefers quiet and he chooses often to spend time alone, but also comes out of his room to spend the day in the lounge with others
the residents on the whole cannot help their individual ticks and most are not noisy all the them - but some can be pretty annoying - any group of people will not get on all the time
if you really feel that your wife is not being treated fairly, please do chat with the staff - ask them what the procedures are and what they do to support her - I've found that being up front and honest with the staff about how I see my dad and how I help him has meant that they are open with me and we share information - after all we are now a team supporting dad as best we can