Fond memories of a beloved pet is a common experience for many people. Our lives can be enriched by many kinds of animals including; dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and birds. In many instances, they are our close companions. Quality of life and symptom management for people who have hearing loss can also be improved by having a pet buddy.
In some cases, pets bring these benefits because they have been specifically trained to do so. Service animals for individuals with hearing loss can be trained to provide specific types of support or even perform special jobs. But that’s not always the situation. Companionship and comfort can come from animals with no special training. That’s why, in many instances, people with hearing loss and their animal friends develop a special and unique connection.
Is owning a pet good for mental health?
Untreated hearing loss can be incredibly isolating, making it hard to hear and understand people around you. This gap in communication can cause the individual with hearing loss to seclude themselves.
So, is having a pet good for individuals who have hearing loss? It sure is! There are lots of non-verbal ways that a companion animal can communicate. Clear communication with animals can be achieved without needing to hear verbal language. Individuals with hearing loss can effectively bond with a wide variety of pets (this is typically dependent on personal preferences), and these pets can offer comfort and emotional support during what might be a very lonely time.
Clearly, this doesn’t take the place of contact between humans. But when making human connections is a challenge, it can offer some comfort and support. Pets can also help you find opportunities to connect with other people. Bringing your dog to the dog park, for example, can give you an opportunity to be around other people, even if you don’t necessarily initiate a conversation or make a new friend.
Pets can provide aid
Service dogs, for example, use specialized training to help their humans navigate the world more safely. Generally, that means these service animals are trained to be aware of sounds that people who have hearing loss might otherwise miss.
Here are a few things that a service dog can do for someone with hearing loss:
- Noticing (and alerting their human) to day-to-day sounds like tea kettles, alarm clocks, or the phone ringing.
- Detecting a knock at the door or a ringing doorbell.
- Detecting dangerous sounds like oncoming traffic.
- Letting their human know that the smoke detector is sounding.
- Service dogs can even be trained to distinguish their human’s name, and when that human is being spoken to. Individuals who have hearing loss will have an easier time communicating with others as a result.
Detecting these sounds and alerting their human to them is something these animals are specifically trained to do. But service animals are not the only way one might benefit from having an animal around. Even a non-trained dog can bark when the doorbell rings. Likewise, cats or other animals can be extremely sensitive to sudden noises or changes, and those who are aware and in tune with their pets may be able to pick up on these things, as well.
A symbiotic relationship
Many of the benefits that a pet can bring to your life might not even be noticed. Adding some structure to daily life is one of those benefits. They must get fed, walked, and given affection on a regular basis, for instance. This structure can be an essential source of comfort. Many different kinds of animal-assisted therapies exist because of this.
But it’s worthwhile to be thoughtful if you’re considering a pet or a service animal. You want to select an animal that’s going to meet your requirements and that you will be able to adequately take care of.
It’s also essential to note that service animals cannot take the place of a pair of hearing aids, both in terms of the long-term benefits and in terms of their capabilities. Pets can, however, be great companions and can enhance your overall quality of life. For people with a hearing loss, they can be an invaluable, and unique, part of their life.
Call us today for an appointment and start moving toward better hearing!
