Aren’t there a couple of types of vacation? One kind is Packed with activities the whole time. 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. You might not even do much of anything on this kind of vacation. Perhaps you spend the entire time on the beach with some cocktails. Or perhaps you’re getting spoiled at some resort for your whole vacation. These are the peaceful and relaxing kinds of vacations.
There’s no right or wrong way to vacation. But neglected hearing loss can jeopardize whichever type of vacation you choose.
Your vacation can be ruined by hearing loss
Your vacation can become a difficulty if you have hearing loss, especially 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 turning the volume on their television louder and louder.
The good news is that there are some proven ways to reduce the impact hearing loss might have on your vacation. The first move, of course, will be to schedule a hearing screening if you haven’t already. The impact that hearing loss has on your fun times will be greatly diminished the more ready you are ahead of time.
How can your vacation be impacted by hearing loss
So how can your next vacation be negatively effected by hearing loss? There are actually a few ways as it turns out. By themselves, they might not seem like that big of a deal. But when they start to compound it can become a real issue. Here are some common examples:
- Getting past language barriers can be frustrating: It’s hard enough to deal with a language barrier. But deciphering voices with hearing loss, especially when it’s very loud, makes it much harder.
- You miss important notices: Perhaps you’re waiting for your train or plane to board, but you don’t ever hear the announcement. This can throw your entire vacation timing out of whack.
- You can miss important moments with family and friends: Perhaps your friend just told a great joke that everyone loved, except you couldn’t make out the punchline. Significant and enriching conversations can be missed when you have neglected hearing loss.
- The radiant life of a new place can be missed: When what you’re hearing is muted, your experience could be muted as well. After all, your favorite vacation spot is alive with unique sounds, like bustling street sounds or singing birds.
Not surprisingly, if you’re wearing your hearing aids, some of these negative impacts can be mitigated and decreased. Which means the proper way to keep your vacation moving in the right direction and free of stress is to take care of your hearing needs before you start.
If you have hearing loss, how can you get ready for your vacation?
All of this isn’t to say that hearing loss makes a vacation impossible. Not by any Means! But with a bit of additional planning and preparation, your vacation can still be enjoyable and fairly hassle-free. Of course, that’s pretty common travel advice regardless of how strong your hearing is.
Here are several things you can do to make sure hearing loss doesn’t negatively effect your next vacation:
- Do a little pre-planning: 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 prepare as much as possible.
- Pack extra batteries: There’s nothing worse than your hearing aid dying the first day because your batteries went dead. Always make certain you bring spares! Now, you may be thinking: can I bring spare batteries in my luggage? The exact rules and guidelines will depend on which airline you’re using. Some types of batteries need to be stored in your carry-on.
- Keep your hearing aids clean: It’s a smart idea to make certain your hearing aids are clean and functioning correctly before you hop on a plane, train, or automobile. If you have clean hearing aids, you’re less likely to have troubles on vacation. It’s also a good plan to make sure your recommended maintenance is up to date!
Hearing aid travel tips
Finally, it’s time to hit the road now that all the preparation and planning have been done! Or possibly it’s the airways. Before you head out to the airport, there are a number of things about going on a plane with hearing aids you should definitely know about.
- Do I have some rights I need to be aware of? Before you leave it’s not a bad idea to become familiar with your rights. Under the American Disabilities Act, individuals with hearing loss have many special rights. Basically, you must have access to information. So if you think you’re missing out on some information, let an airport official know that you have hearing loss and they should offer a solution.
- Is it ok to take a flight with hearing aids in? When they announce that it’s time to off your electronic devices, you won’t need to turn your hearing aids off. Having said that, 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 hard to hear so make sure you let the flight attendants know about your hearing loss.
- Do I need to take my hearing aids out when I go through TSA security? You can wear your hearing aids through the security screening process. It’s generally a good idea to let the TSA agents know you’re wearing them. Don’t ever allow your hearing aids to go through an X-ray machine or conveyor belt. Conveyor-belt style X-ray machines can produce a static charge that can damage your hearing devices.
- Will my smartphone be helpful? Your smartphone is very helpful, not surprisingly. After you land, you can use this device to change the settings on your hearing aid (if you have the right kind of hearing aid), find directions to your destination, and even translate foreign languages. If your phone is prepared to do all that (and you know how to use all those apps), it may take some strain off your ears.
- When I’m in the airport, how well will I be able to hear? 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 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.
- Is it ok to wear my hearing aids longer than normal? 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.
Life is an adventure, and that includes vacations
Whether you have hearing loss or not, vacations are hard to predict. At times, the train can go off the rails. So be prepared for the unexpected and try to have a good attitude.
That way, when something unexpected takes place (and it will), it’ll seem like it’s all part of the plan!
But you will be caught off guard less if you make good preparations. When something goes awry, with the correct preparations, you can keep it from going out of control.
Having a hearing exam and making certain you have the correct equipment is commonly the beginning of that preparation for individuals who have hearing loss. 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 make sure you can hear the big world out there but still have concerns? Schedule an appointment with us for a hearing test!