There are two kinds of vacations, right? There’s the type where you jam every single activity you can into every single minute. These are the vacations that are recalled for years later and are packed with adventure, and you head back to work more worn out than you left.
Then there are the relaxing types of vacations. You may not even do much of anything on this type of vacation. Maybe you drink a bit of wine. Perhaps you spend a day (or two, or three) at the beach. Or perhaps you’re getting pampered at some resort for your entire vacation. These types of vacations will leave you really rested and recharged.
There’s no right or wrong way to vacation. But neglected hearing loss can jeopardize whichever kind of vacation you choose.
Hearing loss can ruin a vacation
There are some unique ways that hearing loss can make a vacation more difficult, particularly 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. The volume on all their devices just keeps going higher and higher.
But the effect that hearing loss can have on a vacation can be lessened with some proven strategies, and that’s the good news. Making an appointment for a hearing test is definitely the first step. The impact that hearing loss has on your fun times will be greatly diminished the more ready you are before you go.
How can hearing loss effect your vacation
So how can your next vacation be adversely impacted 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 begin to add up it can become a real issue. Some common illustrations include the following:
- The vibrant life of a new place can be missed: Your experience can be rather dull when everything you hear is dull. After all, your favorite vacation place is alive with unique sounds, like active street sounds or singing birds.
- Getting past language barriers can be frustrating: Coping with a language barrier is already difficult enough. But deciphering voices with hearing loss, especially when it’s really noisy, makes it much harder.
- You can miss significant moments with family and friends: Everybody enjoyed the funny joke that your friend just told, but unfortunately, you didn’t hear the punchline. Significant and enriching conversations can be missed when you have untreated hearing loss.
- You miss important notices: Maybe you’re waiting for your train or aircraft to board, but you don’t ever hear the announcement. This can cast your entire vacation timing out of whack.
Of course, if you’re wearing your hearing aids, some of these negative effects can be mitigated and minimized. So, taking care of your hearing requirements is the ideal way to keep your vacation moving in the right direction.
How to get ready for your vacation when you’re dealing with hearing loss
That doesn’t mean that you can’t go on vacation if you have hearing loss. Not by any Means! But it does mean that, when you have hearing loss, a little bit of extra planning and preparation, can help make sure your vacation goes as smoothly as possible. Whether you have hearing loss or not, this is definitely practical 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:
- Pre-planning is a good idea: 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.
- Keep your hearing aids clean: It’s a smart idea to make certain your hearing aids are clean and working properly before you get on a plane, train, or automobile. This can help avoid problems from happening while you’re on your vacation. Keeping your hearing aids on their regular maintenance is also a good idea.
- Bring extra batteries: Having your hearing aids die on the first day is the worst! Don’t forget to bring some spare batteries. So are you allowed to bring spare batteries on a plane? The precise rules and guidelines will depend on which airline you’re using. You might be required to put your batteries in your carry-on depending on the type of battery.
Tips for traveling with hearing aids
Once all the preparation and planning is done, it’s time to hit the road! Or possibly it’s the airways. Before you head out to the airport, there are some things about going on a plane with hearing aids you should definitely be aware of.
- Do I have some rights I should know about? Before you travel it’s not a bad idea to get familiar with your rights. If you have hearing loss, you’ll have many rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. But basically, it comes down to this: information must be accessible to you. Talk to an airport official about a solution if you suspect you are missing some info and they will most likely be able to help.
- When I’m in the airport, how well will I be able to hear? How well you can hear in an airport will depend on what airport it is and what time of day. But a telecoil device will usually be set up in many areas of most modern airports. This device is specially made to help people who have hearing aids hear their environment better.
- When I go through the TSA security checkpoint, will I need to remove my hearing aids? You won’t need to remove your hearing aids for the security screening. It’s generally a good plan to let the TSA agents know you’re wearing them. Never 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.
- Is it ok to use my hearing aids longer than usual? Hearing aids are meant to be used every day, all day. So, any time you aren’t sleeping, taking a shower, or going for a swim (or in an extremely loud setting), you should be wearing your devices.
- Will my smartphone be useful? This will not be surprising, but your smartphone is very useful! You can utilize your smartphone to find directions to your destination, translate foreign languages, and if you have the right kind of hearing aid, you can use your smartphone to adjust your settings to your new environment. You may be able to take some stress off your ears if you’re able to utilize your phone in this way.
- 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 may want to activate flight mode on hearing aids that heavily rely on wifi or Bluetooth connectivity. Some of the in-flight announcements may be hard to hear so make sure you tell the flight attendant about your hearing loss.
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. That’s why it’s important that you have a good mindset and treat your vacation like you’re taking on the unanticipated.
That way you’ll still feel like your plans are moving in the right direction even when the unavoidable obstacle happens.
But you will be surprised less if you put together good preparations. When something goes amiss, with the correct preparations, you can keep it from spiraling out of control.
For people who have hearing loss, this preparation frequently starts by getting your hearing tested and making sure you have the equipment and care you need. And whether you’re on vacation number one (sightseeing in the city), or vacation number two (relaxing on a tropical beach somewhere), this advice will still hold.
Still have some questions or concerns? Make an appointment with us for a hearing exam!