Aren’t there a couple of types of vacation? One kind is Packed with activities at all times. 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.
The other kind is all about unwinding. You may not even do much of anything on this kind of vacation. Maybe you drink some wine. Perhaps you spend a day (or two, or three) on the beach. Or maybe you spend your whole vacation at some sort of resort, getting pampered the entire time. These kinds of vacations will leave you really rested and recharged.
There’s no best to vacation. But neglected hearing loss can jeopardize whichever type of vacation you take.
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 know you have hearing loss. Look, hearing loss can creep up on you like nobody’s business, many individuals have no idea they have it. The volume on all their devices just keeps going up and up.
But the impact that hearing loss can have on a vacation can be lessened with some proven methods, and that’s the good news. Scheduling a hearing exam is obviously the first step. The effect that hearing loss has on your good times will be greatly reduced the more prepared you are in advance.
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. By themselves, 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 instances:
- Getting beyond language barriers can be frustrating: It’s difficult enough to overcome a language barrier. But deciphering voices with hearing loss, particularly when it’s really loud, makes it much more difficult.
- Essential 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 entire vacation schedule is thrown into total disarray.
- The radiant life of a new place can be missed: When what you’re hearing is muted, your experience could be muted also. After all, your favorite vacation spot is alive with unique sounds, like active street sounds or singing birds.
- You can miss significant moments with friends and family: 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 significant (and enriching) conversations.
A number of these negative outcomes can be averted by simply using your hearing aids. So, managing your hearing needs is the best way to keep your vacation on track.
How to get ready for your vacation when you have hearing loss
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 enjoyable and relatively stress-free. Whether or not you have hearing loss, this is definitely practical travel advice.
Here are some things you can do to ensure hearing loss doesn’t negatively effect your next vacation:
- Pre-planning is a good idea: It’s okay to remain spontaneous to a degree, but the more planning you do beforehand, the less you’ll need to figure things out on the fly (and that’s when hearing loss can introduce more obstacles).
- Keep your hearing aids clean: It’s a good plan to make sure your hearing aids are clean and working properly before you hop on a plane, train, or automobile. If you have clean hearing aids, you’re not so likely to have difficulties on vacation. Keeping your hearing aids on their scheduled maintenance is also a smart plan.
- Bring extra batteries: There’s nothing worse than your hearing aid dying on day 1 because your batteries died. Always make sure you bring spares! Now, you may be thinking: can I have spare batteries in my luggage? Well, possibly, consult your airline. You might be required to keep your batteries in your carry-on depending on the kind of battery.
Tips for traveling with hearing aids
Finally, it’s time to hit the road now that all the planning and preparation have been done! Or, well, the airways, possibly. Many individuals have questions about going on a plane with hearing aids, and there are definitely some good things to know before you head to the airport.
- Will my smartphone be helpful? Your smartphone is very useful, not shockingly. You can use your smartphone to find directions to your destination, translate foreign languages, and if you have the correct type of hearing aid, you can use your smartphone to adjust your settings to your new environment. If your phone is prepared to do all that (and you know how to use all those apps), it may take some stress off your ears.
- Do I have some rights I need to be aware of? Before you leave it’s never a bad plan to become familiar with your rights. If you have hearing loss, you’ll have lots of rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. But basically, it amounts to this: information has to be available to you. 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.
- If I wear my hearing aids more than normal, is that ok? Hearing aids are designed to be worn every day, all day. So, any time you aren’t sleeping, taking a shower, or swimming (or in an extremely loud setting), you should be using your devices.
- Is it ok to fly with hearing aids in? You won’t need to turn your hearing aids off when you hear that “all electronics must be off” spiel. That said, you might want to activate flight mode on hearing aids that heavily rely on wifi or Bluetooth connectivity. Some of the in-flight announcements could be hard to hear so make sure you tell the flight attendant about your hearing loss.
- Do I need 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. Having said that, letting the TSA agents know you’re wearing hearing aids is always a good plan. If there is any kind of conveyor belt or X-ray machines, make sure your hearing aids don’t go through that belt. Conveyor-belt style X-ray machines can produce a static charge that can damage your hearing aids.
- Will I be able to hear well in an airport? How well you can hear in an airport will depend on which airport it is and what time of day. But a telecoil device will usually be installed in many areas of most modern airports. This device is specifically made to help people with hearing aids hear their environment better.
Vacations are one of life’s many adventures
Whether you have loss of hearing or not, vacations are unpredictable. At times, the train can go off the rails. That’s why it’s important to have a good attitude and manage your vacation like you’re taking on the unexpected.
That way you’ll still feel as if your plans are on track even when the inevitable obstacle occurs.
However, the other side to that is that preparation can make a difference. With the correct preparation, you can be sure you have options when something goes wrong, so an inconvenience doesn’t grow into a catastrophe.
Getting a hearing exam and making certain you have the right 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 (chilling on a tropical beach somewhere), this guidance will still hold.
Want to make sure you can hear the big world out there but still have concerns? Make an appointment with us for a hearing exam!