Aren’t there a couple of kinds of vacation? One type is full of activities at all times. This kind will leave you more tired than when you left but all of the adventures will be recalled for many years to come.
Then there are the relaxing types of vacations. You might not even do much of anything on this kind of vacation. Maybe you spend a lot of time on the beach with some cocktails. Or perhaps you’re getting spoiled at some resort for your whole vacation. These types of vacations will leave you really rested and recharged.
There’s no best to vacation. But untreated hearing loss can put a damper on whichever type of vacation you choose.
Your vacation can be spoiled by hearing loss
There are a few distinct ways that hearing loss can make a vacation more challenging, particularly if you don’t recognize you have hearing loss. Many individuals who have hearing loss don’t even realize they have it and it eventually sneaks up on them. They just keep turning the volume on their tv louder and louder.
The nice thing is that there are a few tried and tested ways to reduce the effect hearing loss might have on your vacation. Making an appointment for a hearing test is obviously the first step. The effect that hearing loss has on your fun times will be greatly reduced the more ready you are before you go.
How can your vacation be effected by hearing loss
So how can your next vacation be negatively impacted by hearing loss? There are actually a few ways as it turns out. Individually, they may not seem like that big of a deal. But when they begin to compound it can become a real problem. Here are some common examples:
- You miss significant notices: Perhaps you miss your flight because you failed to hear the boarding call. And as a consequence, your entire vacation schedule is cast into total chaos.
- You can miss out on the vibrancy of a new place: Your experience can be rather lackluster when everything you hear is dull. After all, you could miss out on the unique bird calls or humming traffic noises that make your vacation spot unique and memorable.
- You can miss important moments with family and friends: Maybe your friend just told a hilarious joke that everyone enjoyed, except you couldn’t make out the punchline. When you have untreated hearing loss, you can miss important (and enriching) conversations.
- Getting beyond language barriers can be frustrating: Managing a language barrier is already difficult enough. But understanding voices with hearing loss, especially when it’s really noisy, makes it much more difficult.
Some of these negative situations can be prevented by simply wearing your hearing aids. So, taking care of your hearing requirements is the ideal way to keep your vacation on track.
If you have hearing loss, how can you get ready for your vacation?
That doesn’t mean that you can’t go on a trip if you have hearing loss. Not by any Means! But with a little extra planning and preparation, your vacation can still be fun and relatively stress-free. Whether or not you have hearing loss, this is clearly good travel advice.
You can be sure that hearing loss won’t have a negative effect on your vacation, here are a number of things you can do:
- Do a little pre-planning: When you have 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.
- Bring extra batteries: There’s nothing worse than your hearing aid dying on day 1 because your batteries quit. Remember to bring some spare batteries. Now, you may be thinking: can I have spare batteries in my luggage? Well, possibly, check with your airline. You may need to put your batteries in your carry-on depending on the type of battery.
- Clean your hearing aids: Before you go out on your travels, make sure you clean your hearing aids. If you have clean hearing aids, you’re much less likely to have difficulties on vacation. Keeping your hearing aids on their regular maintenance is also a good idea.
Hearing aid travel tips
Finally, it’s time to hit the road now that all the preparation and planning have been done! Or, well, the airways, maybe. Before you go out to the airport, there are some things about flying with hearing aids you should definitely be aware of.
- Is it ok to take a flight with hearing aids in? When they tell you it’s time to off your electronic devices, you won’t need to turn your hearing aids off. But it’s a good plan to activate flight mode if your hearing aid relies heavily on Bluetooth connectivity or wifi. You might also want to tell the flight attendants you have hearing loss, as there may be announcements during the flight that are difficult to hear.
- If I use my hearing aids more than normal, is that ok? Hearing aids are meant to be worn every day, all day. So, any time you aren’t sleeping, taking a shower, or swimming (or in a really noisy environment), you should be wearing your devices.
- How useful is my smartphone? Your smartphone is extremely helpful, not surprisingly. After you land, you can use this device to adjust the settings on your hearing aid (if you have the right type of hearing aid), get directions to your destination, and even translate foreign languages. 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.
- When I’m in the airport, how well will I be able to hear? That will depend, some airports are quite noisy during certain times of the day. But a telecoil device will usually be set up in many areas of most modern airports. This is a basic 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 noisy and chaotic.
- Should I be aware of my rights? Before you leave it’s never a bad idea to become familiar with your rights. If you have hearing loss, you’ll have lots of rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Basically, you have to have access to information. So if you think you’re missing out on some info, let an airport official know that you have hearing loss and they will most likely offer a solution.
- Do I have to take out my hearing aids when I go through TSA security? You won’t be required to remove your hearing aids for the security screening. It’s usually a good idea to tell the TSA agents that you’re wearing them. If there is any type of conveyor belt or X-ray machines, make sure your hearing aids don’t go through that belt. Your hearing aids can be damaged by the static charge that these conveyor style X-ray devices generate.
Life is an adventure, and that includes vacations
Vacations are unpredictable with or without hearing loss. 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 like your plans are on track even when the inevitable obstacle happens.
But you will be surprised less if you make good preparations. With the correct preparation, you can make sure you have options when something goes wrong, so an inconvenience doesn’t turn into a disaster.
For those with hearing loss, this preparation frequently begins by having your hearing evaluated and making certain you have the equipment and care you require. And whether you’re taking vacation number one (sightseeing in the city), or vacation number two (chilling 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? Make an appointment with us for a hearing exam!