There are two kinds of vacations, right? There’s the type where you cram every single activity you can into every waking minute. These are the trips that are remembered for years later and are full of adventure, and you head back to work more worn out than you left.
Then there are the relaxing types of vacations. You may not even do much of anything on this type of vacation. Perhaps you spend the entire time on the beach with some cocktails. Or maybe you’re getting pampered at some resort for your entire vacation. These are the peaceful and relaxing kinds of vacations.
There’s no right or wrong way to vacation. But neglected hearing loss can put a damper on whichever type of vacation you take.
Your vacation can be ruined by hearing loss
Your vacation can become a difficulty if you have hearing loss, particularly if you don’t know you have it. Many individuals who have hearing loss don’t even realize they have it and it eventually sneaks up on them. The volume on all their devices just keeps going higher and higher.
The good news is that there are some proven ways to lessen the impact hearing loss could have on your vacation. Making an appointment for a hearing exam is definitely the first step. The impact that hearing loss has on your fun times will be greatly reduced the more ready you are in advance.
How can your vacation be effected by hearing loss
So how can your next vacation be negatively effected by hearing loss? Well, there are a number of ways. And while some of them might seem a little trivial at first, they tend to add up! Some common illustrations include the following:
- The vibrant life of a new place can be missed: Your experience can be rather lackluster when everything you hear is dull. After all, your favorite vacation spot is alive with unique sounds, like bustling street sounds or singing birds.
- You miss important notices: Perhaps you miss your flight because you failed to hear the boarding call. This can throw your entire vacation timing into chaos.
- Meaningful moments with friends and relatives can be missed: Everybody loved the funny joke that your friend just told, but unfortunately, you missed the punchline. Important and enriching conversations can be missed when you have untreated hearing loss.
- Language barriers are even more difficult: It’s hard enough to deal with a language barrier. But understanding voices with hearing loss, especially when it’s very loud, makes it much more difficult.
Some of these negative outcomes can be averted by simply wearing your hearing aids. So, managing your hearing needs is the ideal way to keep your vacation on track.
If you have hearing loss, how can you prepare for your vacation?
All of this doesn’t mean that hearing loss makes a vacation unachievable. That’s nowhere near true! But it does mean that, when you have hearing loss, a little bit of additional planning and preparation, can help ensure your vacation goes as easily as possible. Whether or not you have hearing loss, this is clearly practical travel advice.
Here are some things you can do to ensure hearing loss doesn’t negatively impact your next vacation:
- Pack extra batteries: Having your hearing aids quit on the first day is no fun! Remember to bring some spare batteries. Now, you may be thinking: can I bring spare batteries in my luggage? The precise rules and guidelines will depend on the airline. You may be required to keep your batteries in your carry-on depending on the type of battery.
- Keep your hearing aids clean: Before you head out on your travels, make sure you clean your hearing aids. This can help prevent problems from happening while you’re on your vacation. Keeping your hearing aids on their regular maintenance is also a good idea.
- Pre-planning is a smart plan: When you need to figure things out as you go, that’s when hearing loss can introduce some difficulties, so don’t be too spontaneous and plan as much as you can.
Hearing aid travel tips
Once all the planning and preparation is done, it’s time to hit the road! Or, well, the airways, possibly. Before you head out to the airport, there are a few things about flying with hearing aids you should definitely be aware of.
- If I use my hearing aids more than usual, is that ok? Most hearing specialists will suggest that you wear your hearing aids all day, every day. So you should be wearing your hearing aids anytime you aren’t in an extremely noisy place, swimming, or showering.
- Will my smartphone be useful? This will not be shocking, but your smartphone is extremely helpful! Once you land, you can utilize this device to change the settings on your hearing aid (if you have the correct kind of hearing aid), find directions to your destination, and even translate foreign languages. You may be able to take some stress off your ears if you’re able to use your phone like this.
- Can I wear my hearing aids while I’m on the plane? You won’t need to turn your hearing aids off when you hear that “all electronics must be off” announcement. That said, you might want to activate flight mode on hearing aids that rely heavily on wifi or Bluetooth connectivity. Some of the in-flight announcements could be difficult to hear so be certain that you tell the flight attendant about your hearing loss.
- Do I have to take out my hearing aids when I go through TSA security? You can keep your hearing aids in when you go through the security screening process. That being said, letting the TSA agents know you’re wearing hearing aids is always a good plan. Never allow your hearing aids to go through an X-ray machine or conveyor belt. Your hearing aids can be damaged by the static charge that these conveyor style X-ray devices create.
- Should I be aware of my rights? It’s a good idea! In general, it’s good to familiarize yourself with your rights before you go. If you have hearing loss, you’ll have many rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. But basically, it boils down to this: information must be available to you. So if you feel like you’re missing out on some info, let an airport official know that you have hearing loss and they will most likely offer help.
- Will I be able to hear well in an airport? That depends, some airports are very noisy during certain times of the day. But a telecoil device will normally be set up in many areas of most modern airports. This is a simple wire device (although you’ll never see that wire, just look for the signs) that makes it easier for you to hear with your hearing aids, even when things are loud and chaotic.
Vacations are one of life’s many adventures
Whether you have loss of hearing or not, vacations are hard to predict. Not everything is going to go right all the time. So be prepared for the unforeseen and try to have a positive attitude.
That way you’ll still feel as if your plans are moving in the right direction even when the unavoidable challenge arises.
But you will be caught off guard less if you put together good preparations. When something goes awry, with the right preparations, you can keep it from getting out of control.
Having a hearing examination and making certain you have the right equipment is usually the start of that preparation for people who have hearing loss. And that’s the case whether you’re visiting every museum in New York City (vacation type number one) or lounging around on a beach in Mexico (vacation type number two).
Still have some questions or concerns? Call us today!