Fond memories of a beloved pet is a common experience for many individuals. Our lives can be enriched by many types of animals including; dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and birds. In many cases, they are our close companions. For people who have hearing loss, pets can offer additional benefits that improve symptom management and quality of life.
In some cases, pets convey these benefits because they have been specifically trained to do so. Service animals for people with hearing loss can be trained to give specific forms of support or even perform special tasks. But that isn’t always the case. Friendship and comfort can come from animals with no specialized training. That’s why, in many cases, people with hearing loss and their animal companions develop a special and unique connection.
Can owning a pet provide improved mental health?
Neglected hearing loss can be incredibly isolating, making it difficult to hear and understand those around you. This gap in communication can cause the individual with hearing loss to seclude themselves.
So, is having a pet helpful? Definitely! There are lots of non-verbal ways that a companion animal can communicate. Clear communication with animals is possible without the need to hear verbal language. When somebody has hearing loss, it can be a very lonely time, and being able to connect with an animal friend can offer emotional support and comfort.
This doesn’t replace human-to-human social contact, of course. But it can offer some consolation and assistance when making other connections can be difficult. Pets can also help you find opportunities to connect with other people. Taking your dog to the dog park, for instance, can give you an opportunity to be around other people, even if you don’t necessarily strike up a conversation or make a new friend.
Pets can be great assistants
Service dogs, as an example, utilize specialized training to help their humans navigate the world more safely. Mostly, that means these service animals are trained to pay attention to sounds that those with hearing loss might otherwise miss.
Here are a few things that a service dog can do for someone with hearing loss:
- Notifying their human when the smoke alarm goes off.
- Detecting the sound of approaching traffic or other dangers.
- Service dogs can even be trained to distinguish their human’s name, and when someone is talking to that human. This can help people who have hearing loss better take part in communication.
- Hearing the doorbell ring or someone knocking on the door.
- Observing (and alerting their human) to day-to-day sounds like tea kettles, alarm clocks, or the phone ringing.
Service animals are specifically trained to notice these sounds and communicate them to their human. But service animals are not the only way one could benefit from having an animal around. Even a non-trained dog can start barking when the doorbell rings. Likewise, cats or other animals can be extremely sensitive to sudden noises or changes, and those who are aware and dialed in with their pets may be able to recognize these things, too.
A symbiotic relationship
Many of the benefits that a pet can bring to your life might not even be recognized. They will instantly add a degree of structure to your daily life. For example, they will need to be walked, fed, and loved several times every day. This structure can be an important 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 pick an animal that’s going to meet your requirements and that you will be able to properly take care of.
It’s also important to mention 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. However, pets can be an important part of your life and provide a trusty companion. They can be a unique and valuable part of their life.
Call us today for an appointment and begin moving toward better hearing!