Aren’t there a couple of types of vacation? There’s the kind where you jam every single recreation you can into every waking moment. This type will leave you more exhausted than when you left but all of the fun will be recalled for many years to come.
The other kind is all about unwinding. You may not even do much of anything on this kind of vacation. Perhaps you drink some wine. Maybe you spend a day (or two, or three) at the beach. Or maybe you’re getting pampered at some resort for your entire vacation. These are the peaceful and relaxing types of vacations.
Everybody has their own idea of the perfect vacation. But untreated hearing loss can jeopardize whichever kind of vacation you choose.
Hearing loss can ruin a vacation
Your vacation can become a challenge if you have hearing loss, especially if you don’t know you have it. Many people who have hearing loss don’t even know they have it and it eventually creeps up on them. The volume on all their devices just continues going up and up.
But the impact that hearing loss can have on a vacation can be lessened with some proven strategies, and that’s the good news. Scheduling a hearing exam is obviously the first step. The impact that hearing loss has on your fun times will be greatly diminished the more prepared you are ahead of time.
How can hearing loss impact your vacation
So how can hearing loss negatively effect your next vacation? Well, there are a couple of ways. By themselves, they may not seem like that big of a deal. But when they start to add up it can become a real issue. Some common illustrations include the following:
- Important notices come in but you often miss them: Perhaps you’re waiting for your train or plane to board, but you don’t ever hear the announcement. And as a consequence, your entire vacation schedule is thrown into absolute chaos.
- Getting past language barriers can be overwhelming: It’s difficult enough to contend with a language barrier. But understanding voices with hearing loss, particularly when it’s very noisy, makes it much harder.
- You can miss important moments with friends and family: Maybe your friend just told a hilarious joke that everyone enjoyed, except you couldn’t hear the punchline. When you have untreated hearing loss, you can miss significant (and enriching) conversations.
- The vibrant life of a new place can be missed: Your experience can be rather lackluster when everything you hear is muted. After all, you could miss out on the unique bird calls or humming traffic noises that make your vacation spot special and memorable.
A number of these negative outcomes can be prevented by simply using your hearing aids. So, taking care of your hearing needs is the best way to keep your vacation moving in the right direction.
If you have hearing loss, how can you get ready for your vacation?
That doesn’t mean that you can’t go on a trip if you have hearing loss. Not by any Means! But it does mean that, when you’re dealing with hearing loss, a little bit of additional planning and preparation, can help make sure your vacation goes as easily as possible. Whether or not you have hearing loss, this is definitely good travel advice.
You can be certain that hearing loss won’t have a negative effect on your vacation, here are a few things you can do:
- Bring extra batteries: Having your hearing aids die on the first day is the worst! 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. You may be required to store your batteries in your carry-on depending on the type of battery.
- Keep your hearing aids clean: Before you head out on your travels, make sure you clean your hearing aids. If you have clean hearing aids, you’re much less likely to have troubles on vacation. It’s also a good idea to make sure your recommended maintenance is up to date!
- Do some pre-planning: When you need to figure things out as you go, that’s when hearing loss can present some difficulties, so don’t be too spontaneous and prepare as much as you can.
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 some things about flying with hearing aids you should definitely know about.
- Is it ok to fly with hearing aids in? When they announce that it’s time to turn off your electronic devices, you won’t need to turn your hearing aids off. That said, you might want to enable flight mode on hearing aids that heavily rely on wifi or Bluetooth connectivity. You might also want to let the flight attendants know you have hearing loss, as there may be announcements during the flight that are hard to hear.
- When I go through the TSA security checkpoint, will I need to take out my hearing aids? You can wear your hearing aids through the security screening process. Having said that, telling the TSA agents you’re wearing hearing aids is always a good plan. Don’t ever let your hearing aids go through an X-ray machine or conveyor belt. Your hearing aids can be damaged by the static charge that these conveyor style X-ray devices generate.
- 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 which airport it is and what time of day. But most modern airports will have a telecoil device setup throughout many areas. This device is specifically made to help people with hearing aids hear their surroundings better.
- Will my smartphone be useful? Your smartphone is extremely useful, not shockingly. You can utilize your smartphone to find directions to your destination, translate foreign languages, and if you have the correct type of hearing aid, you can utilize your smartphone to adjust your settings to your new environment. If your phone is capable of doing all that (and you know how to use all those apps), it could take some stress off your ears.
- Do I have some rights I need to be aware of? It’s not a bad idea! In general, it’s smart to become familiar with your rights before you go. Under the American Disabilities Act, individuals with hearing loss have lots of special rights. Basically, you must have access to information. 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.
- If I wear my hearing aids more than usual, is that ok? Hearing aids are designed to be used every day, all day. So you should be wearing your hearing aids whenever you aren’t in a really noisy setting, swimming, or showering.
Vacations are one of life’s many adventures
Whether you have hearing loss or not, vacations are unpredictable. Sometimes, the train can go off the rails. So be prepared for the unexpected and try to have a positive mindset.
That way you’ll still feel as if your plans are moving in the right direction even when the unavoidable challenge happens.
But you will be caught off guard less if you put together good preparations. When something goes amiss, with the correct preparations, you can keep it from getting out of control.
Having a hearing test and making sure you have the right equipment is usually the start of that preparation for individuals with hearing loss. And that’s accurate whether you’re visiting every museum in New York City (vacation type number one) or lounging around on a beach in Mexico (vacation type number two).
Still have some questions or concerns? Give us a call today!