Aren’t there a couple of kinds of vacation? One kind is Packed with activities at all times. This kind will leave you more tired than when you left but all of the adventures will be remembered for many years to come.
The other kind is all about relaxing. These are the trips where you might not do, well, much of anything. Perhaps you spend a lot of time on the beach with some cocktails. Or maybe you’re getting spoiled at some resort for your whole vacation. These kinds 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 kind of vacation you choose.
Your vacation can be spoiled by hearing loss
There are some distinct ways that hearing loss can make a vacation more difficult, especially if you don’t know you have hearing loss. Many people who have hearing loss don’t even realize they have it and it eventually creeps up on them. The volume on all their devices just continues going up and up.
The nice thing is that there are a few tried and tested ways to minimize the effect hearing loss could 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 good times will be greatly diminished the more prepared you are in advance.
How can hearing loss impact your vacation
So how can hearing loss negatively effect your next vacation? There are actually a small number of ways as it turns out. Individually, they might not seem like that big of a deal. But when they begin to add up it can become a real issue. Some common examples include the following:
- You miss important notices: Perhaps you miss your flight because you failed to hear the boarding call. This can cast your entire vacation timing out of whack.
- You can miss significant moments with family and friends: Everybody loved the funny joke that your friend just told, but unfortunately, you didn’t hear the punchline. Important and enriching conversations can be missed when you have untreated hearing loss.
- Getting past language barriers can be overwhelming: Managing a language barrier is already hard enough. But deciphering voices with hearing loss, particularly when it’s really noisy, makes it much more difficult.
- The radiant life of a new place can be missed: When what you’re hearing is muted, your experience may be muted as well. After all, you could fail to hear the distinctive bird calls or humming traffic noises that make your vacation spot unique and memorable.
Some of these negative outcomes can be avoided by simply wearing your hearing aids. Which means the proper way to keep your vacation on track and stress free is to take care of your hearing needs before you start.
How to prepare for your vacation when you’re dealing with 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 additional planning and preparation, your vacation can still be enjoyable and relatively hassle-free. Of course, that’s rather common travel advice regardless of how strong your hearing is.
Here are some things you can do to ensure hearing loss doesn’t negatively effect your next vacation:
- Pre-planning is a smart idea: When you have to figure things out as you go, that’s when hearing loss can present some challenges, so don’t be overly spontaneous and plan as much as you can.
- 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 might be thinking: can I bring spare batteries in my luggage? The precise rules and guidelines will depend on which airline you’re using. Some kinds of batteries need to be kept in your carry-on.
- Clean your hearing aids: It’s a smart idea to make sure your hearing aids are clean and working properly before you get on a plane, train, or automobile. This can help prevent problems from happening while you’re on your vacation. It’s also a good plan to make sure your suggested maintenance is up to date!
Hearing aid travel tips
Once all the planning and preparation is done, it’s time to hit the road! Or maybe it’s the airways. Many people have questions about going on a plane with hearing aids, and there are definitely some good things to understand before you go to the airport.
- When I go through the TSA security checkpoint, will I need to take out my hearing aids? 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 idea. Don’t ever allow your hearing aids to go through an X-ray machine or conveyor belt. Conveyor-belt style X-ray machines can create a static charge that can damage your hearing aids.
- Can I use my hearing aids on the plane? You won’t need to turn your hearing aids off when you hear that “all electronics must be off” spiel. But it’s a good plan to enable flight mode if your hearing aid relies heavily on Bluetooth connectivity or wifi. Some of the in-flight announcements may be difficult to hear so make sure you tell the flight attendant about your hearing loss.
- Do I have some rights I should be aware of? It’s not a bad idea! In general, it’s smart to familiarize yourself with your rights before you go. Under the American Disabilities Act, people with hearing loss have many special rights. But basically, it amounts to this: information has to be accessible to you. 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.
- If I use my hearing aids more than normal, is that ok? Most hearing specialists will recommend that you use your hearing aids all day, every day. So, any time you aren’t sleeping, taking a shower, or going for a swim (or in a really loud setting), you should be using your devices.
- How helpful is my smartphone? Your smartphone is very helpful, not surprisingly. You can use your smartphone to get directions to your destination, translate foreign languages, and if you have the right type of hearing aid, you can utilize 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 could take some stress off your ears.
- When I’m in the airport, how well will I be able to hear? That depends, some airports are really noisy during certain times of the day. But most modern airports will have a telecoil device fitted throughout many areas. This device is specially made to help individuals with hearing aids hear their environment better.
Life is an adventure, and that includes vacations
Whether you have loss of hearing or not, vacations are hard to predict. Not everything is going to go right all the time. That’s why it’s important that you have a good mindset and treat your vacation like you’re embracing the unexpected.
That way, when something unexpected occurs (and it will), it’ll feel like it’s all part of the plan!
However, the other side to that is that preparation can go a long way. When something goes wrong, with the correct preparations, you can keep it from getting out of control.
Having a hearing examination and making sure you have the correct equipment is usually the beginning of that preparation for people 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.
Still have some questions or concerns? Give us a call today!