There are a couple of types of vacations, right? There’s the type where you jam every single activity you can into every waking minute. These are the vacations that are recalled for years later and are packed with adventure, and you head back to work more tired than you left.
Then there are the relaxing kinds of vacations. These are the trips where you might not do, well, much of anything. Maybe you drink some wine. Perhaps you spend a day (or two, or three) at the beach. Or perhaps you’re getting pampered at some resort for your whole vacation. These are the peaceful and relaxing types of vacations.
There’s no right or wrong way to vacation. Whichever method you choose, however, neglected hearing loss can put your vacation in jeopardy.
Your vacation can be spoiled by hearing loss
There are a few distinct ways that hearing loss can make a vacation more challenging, especially if you don’t recognize you have hearing loss. Look, hearing loss can creep up on you like nobody’s business, many individuals have no clue they have it. They just keep turning the volume on their television up and up and up.
But the effect that hearing loss can have on a vacation can be lessened with some tried and tested methods, and that’s the good news. Making an appointment for a hearing exam is definitely the first step. The more prepared you are ahead of time, the easier it will be to lessen any power hearing loss could have over your fun, rest, and relaxation.
How can hearing loss effect your vacation
So how can your next vacation be negatively impacted by hearing loss? Well, there are a couple of ways. And while some of them may seem a little insignificant at first, they have a tendency to add up! Some common examples include the following:
- You can miss significant moments with friends and family: Maybe your friend just told a hilarious joke that everybody loved, except you couldn’t make out the punchline. Significant and enriching conversations can be missed when you have neglected hearing loss.
- You can miss out on the radiance of a new place: When what you’re hearing is muted, your experience could be muted also. After all, you could fail to hear the distinctive bird calls or humming traffic noises that make your vacation spot special and memorable.
- Language barriers are even more tricky: Coping with a language barrier is already difficult enough. But understanding voices with hearing loss, particularly when it’s very loud, makes it much more difficult.
- Important notices come in but you often miss them: Perhaps you’re waiting for your train or aircraft to board, but you never hear the announcement. And as a result, your whole vacation schedule is cast into total chaos.
Of course, if you’re wearing your hearing aids, some of these negative impacts can be lessened and minimized. Which means the best way to keep your vacation moving in the right direction and stress free is to take care of your hearing needs before you start.
How to get ready for your vacation when you have hearing loss
All of this doesn’t mean that hearing loss makes a vacation unachievable. Not by any Means! But with a little additional planning and preparation, your vacation can still be enjoyable and relatively stress-free. Whether or not you have hearing loss, this is obviously good travel advice.
You can be certain that hearing loss won’t have a negative effect on your vacation, here are a number of things you can do:
- Clean your hearing aids: It’s a smart idea to make certain your hearing aids are clean and working properly before you jump on a plane, train, or automobile. If you have clean hearing aids, you’re less likely to have difficulties on vacation. It’s also a good idea to make certain your suggested maintenance is up to date!
- Pack extra batteries: There’s nothing worse than your hearing aid dying the first day because your batteries quit. Always make sure you bring spares! Now, you might be thinking: can I bring spare batteries in my luggage? Well, possibly, consult your airline. You might need to store your batteries in your carry-on depending on the type of battery.
- Pre-planning is a smart idea: When you have to figure things out as you go, that’s when hearing loss can present some difficulties, so don’t be overly spontaneous and plan as much as possible.
Hearing aid travel tips
Once all the planning and preparation is done, it’s time to hit the road! Or, well, the airways, maybe. Many people have questions about flying with hearing aids, and there are definitely some good things to recognize before you go to the airport.
- When I’m in the airport, how well will I be able to hear? That depends, 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 loud and chaotic.
- Do I have some rights I should be aware of? Before you leave it’s not a bad idea to become familiar with your rights. Under the American Disabilities Act, people with hearing loss have lots of special rights. Basically, you have to have access to information. Speak with an airport official about a solution if you feel like you are missing some information and they should be able to help.
- Will my smartphone be useful? This will not be surprising, but your smartphone is really useful! 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. You may be able to take some stress off your ears if you can use your phone in this way.
- If I wear my hearing aids more than usual, is that ok? Most hearing specialists will recommend that you wear your hearing aids all day, every day. So you should be using your hearing aids whenever you aren’t in a really loud setting, swimming, or showering.
- When I go through the TSA security checkpoint, will I be required to take out my hearing aids? You won’t be required to remove your hearing aids for the security screening. It’s generally a good idea to let the TSA agents know you’re wearing them. If there is any kind of conveyor belt or X-ray machines, make sure your hearing aids do not go through that belt. Your hearing aids can be damaged by the static charge that these conveyor type X-ray devices create.
- Can I use my hearing aids on the plane? When they announce that it’s time to off your electronic devices, you won’t need to turn your hearing aids off. 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 may be difficult to hear so be certain that you let the flight attendants know about your hearing loss.
Vacations are one of life’s many adventures
Whether you have hearing loss or not, vacations are unpredictable. At times, the train can go off the rails. So be prepared for the unforeseen and try to have a positive mindset.
That way, when something unexpected occurs (and it will), it’ll feel like it’s all part of the plan!
Of course, the other side to that is that preparation can make a difference. With the correct preparation, you can make sure you have options when something goes wrong, so an inconvenience doesn’t grow into a catastrophe.
For people who have hearing loss, this preparation frequently begins by getting your hearing assessed and making certain you have the equipment and care you require. And that’s accurate whether you’re visiting every museum in New York City (vacation type number one) or taking it easy on a beach in Mexico (vacation type number two).
Want to make sure you can hear the big world out there but still have concerns? Call us today!
