Aren’t there a couple of kinds of vacation? There’s the kind where you cram every single activity you can into every waking second. This kind will leave you more tired than when you left but all of the adventures will be remembered for years to come.
The other kind is all about relaxing. These are the trips where you might not do, well, much of anything. Perhaps you spend the entire time on the beach with some drinks. Or maybe you’re getting pampered at some resort for your whole vacation. These kinds of vacations will leave you really rested and recharged.
Everybody has their own concept of the perfect vacation. Whatever way you choose, however, untreated hearing loss can put your vacation at risk.
Your vacation can be spoiled by hearing loss
Your vacation can become a difficulty if you have hearing loss, particularly if you don’t know you have it. Look, hearing loss can sneak up on you like nobody’s business, many people have no clue they have it. They just keep cranking the volume on their television up and up and up.
The nice thing is that there are some proven ways to lessen the impact hearing loss might have on your vacation. Scheduling a hearing exam is definitely the first step. The effect that hearing loss has on your fun times will be greatly reduced the more ready you are in advance.
How can hearing loss effect your vacation
So how can your next vacation be negatively effected by hearing loss? There are actually a few ways as it turns out. And while some of them might seem a bit insignificant at first, they have a tendency to add up! Some common illustrations include the following:
- Getting beyond language barriers can be overwhelming: It’s hard enough to overcome a language barrier. But deciphering voices with hearing loss, particularly when it’s very loud, makes it much harder.
- The vibrant life of a new place can be missed: Your experience can be rather lackluster when everything you hear is muted. After all, your favorite vacation spot is alive with unique sounds, like bustling street sounds or singing birds.
- You can miss significant moments with friends and family: Everyone loved the funny joke that your friend just told, but unfortunately, you didn’t hear the punchline. When you have untreated hearing loss, you can miss important (and enriching) conversations.
- You miss important notices: Perhaps you’re waiting for your train or plane to board, but you never hear the announcement. This can cast your entire vacation timing into chaos.
Not surprisingly, if you’re wearing your hearing aids, some of these negative effects can be lessened and decreased. So, taking care of your hearing needs is the ideal way to keep your vacation moving in the right direction.
How to prepare for your vacation when you have hearing loss
All of this isn’t to say that hearing loss makes a vacation unachievable. That’s not at all true! But it does mean that, when you have hearing loss, a little bit of added planning and preparation, can help make sure your vacation goes as smoothly as possible. Of course, that’s pretty common travel advice regardless of how good your hearing is.
Here are a few things you can do to ensure hearing loss doesn’t negatively impact your next vacation:
- Keep your hearing aids clean: It’s a smart idea to make sure your hearing aids are clean and functioning properly before you get on a plane, train, or automobile. If you have clean hearing aids, you’re less likely to have troubles on vacation. Keeping your hearing aids on their regular maintenance is also a smart idea.
- Pre-planning is a good plan: It’s okay to remain spontaneous to some degree, but the more planning you do before you go, the less you’ll need to figure things out on the fly (and that’s when hearing loss can introduce more difficulties).
- Bring extra batteries: There’s nothing worse than your hearing aid dying the first day because your batteries died. Don’t forget to bring some spare batteries. So are you allowed to take spare batteries on a plane? Well, possibly, consult your airline. You may need to store your batteries in your carry-on depending on the kind of battery.
Tips for traveling with hearing aids
Once all the planning and preparation is done, it’s time to hit the road! Or, well, the airways, maybe. Before you go out to the airport, there are a few things about flying with hearing aids you should definitely be aware of.
- Will my smartphone be useful? Your smartphone is very useful, not surprisingly. You can use your smartphone to get directions to your destination, translate foreign languages, and if you have the right type of hearing aid, you can utilize your smartphone to adjust your settings to your new environment. If your phone is capable of doing all that (and you know how to use all those apps), it could take some stress off your ears.
- Do I have to take my hearing aids out when I go through TSA security? You can wear your hearing aids through the security screening process. Having said that, letting the TSA agents know you’re wearing hearing aids is always a good idea. Don’t ever let your hearing aids go through an X-ray machine or conveyor belt. Conveyor-belt style X-ray machines can create a static charge that can damage your hearing devices.
- If I wear my hearing aids more than usual, is that ok? Hearing aids are meant to be worn every day, all day. So, any time you aren’t sleeping, showering, or going for a swim (or in a super noisy environment), you should be wearing your devices.
- Should I be aware of my rights? Before you travel it’s never a bad plan to become familiar with your rights. Under the American Disabilities Act, people with hearing loss have many special rights. Basically, you have to have access to information. Speak with an airport official about a solution if you think you are missing some info and they will most likely be able to help.
- Is it ok to take a flight with hearing aids in? You won’t need to turn off your hearing aids when you hear that “all electronics must be off” announcement. Having said that, you may want to enable flight mode on hearing aids that heavily rely on wifi or Bluetooth connectivity. You might also want to let the flight attendants know you have hearing loss, as there may be announcements throughout the flight that are hard to hear.
- Will I be able to hear well in the airport? That will depend, some airports are really noisy during certain times of the day. But a telecoil device will usually be installed in many areas of most modern airports. This device is specifically made to help individuals who have hearing aids hear their environment better.
Life is an adventure, and that includes vacations
Vacations are unpredictable with or without hearing loss. Sometimes, the train can go off the rails. So be prepared for the unexpected and try to have a positive attitude.
That way, when something unexpected occurs (and it will), it’ll feel like it’s all part of the plan!
But you will be surprised less if you put together good preparations. When something goes wrong, with the right preparations, you can keep it from spiraling out of control.
Having a hearing examination and making certain you have the correct equipment is usually the beginning of that preparation for individuals who have hearing loss. And whether you’re on vacation number one (sightseeing in the city), or vacation number two (relaxing on a tropical beach somewhere), this advice will still hold.
Want to be certain you can hear the big world out there but still have concerns? Give us a call today!