Many individuals have powerful recollections of a cherished family pet. Our lives can be enriched by many kinds of animals including; dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and birds. In many cases, 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.
Sometimes, pets are specifically trained to provide special benefits. Particular jobs or specific types of help can be performed by these animals which are trained to provide help to people with hearing loss. Sometimes, though, that isn’t the situation. Even a common animal companion with no special training can offer comfort and friendship. Special bonds between animals and individuals who have hearing loss are often formed as a result.
Can owning a pet give you improved mental health?
Neglected hearing loss can be incredibly isolating, making it hard to hear and understand those around you. Communication becomes fraught and, as a result, you may spend less time socializing with other people.
So, is having a pet helpful for individuals with hearing loss? It sure is! There are lots of non-verbal ways that a companion animal can communicate. Clear communication with animals is possible without needing to hear verbal language. People with hearing loss can successfully bond with all kinds of pets (this is usually dependent on personal preferences), and these pets can offer comfort and emotional reinforcement during what may be a very lonely time.
This does not replace human-to-human social contact, of course. But when making human relationships is a challenge, it can provide some comfort and support. Also, pets can offer you more opportunities to make connections with other people. Even if you’re not necessarily talking with others or making new friends, doing things like taking your dog for a walk in the park can give you the chance to be around others.
Pets can be ideal assistants
In the case of a service dog for hearing impaired people, these animals are specially trained to help their human companions in moving around and functioning in the world. People with hearing loss will frequently fail to hear important sounds around them and service animals are specifically trained to listen for those sounds and to provide assistance to their human.
Here are some things that a service dog can do for someone with hearing loss:
- Hearing the doorbell ring or a knock on the door.
- Alerting their human to everyday sounds including a ringing phone, alarm clock, or a whistling teakettle.
- Letting their human know that the smoke alarm is sounding.
- Detecting hazardous sounds like approaching traffic.
- Recognizing when someone speaks their human’s name or otherwise speaks to their human is also something service dogs can be trained to do. This can help people who have hearing loss better take part in communication.
Service animals are specifically trained to detect these sounds and convey them to their human. But service animals aren’t the only way one could benefit from having an animal around. Even a dog without any training will often start barking when someone rings the doorbell or knocks on the door. Similarly, cats or other animals can be extremely sensitive to abrupt noises or changes, and people who are aware and dialed in with their pets may be able to recognize these things, as well.
A symbiotic relationship
Many of the benefits that a pet can bring to your life may not even be recognized. They will immediately add a degree of structure to your daily life. For example, they will have to be walked, fed, and loved numerous times each day. A structured life like this can be really comforting. It’s part of the reason why many types of animal-assisted therapy types exist.
But it’s important to be thoughtful if you’re thinking about getting a pet or a service animal. You want to choose 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 can’t replace a pair of hearing aids, both in terms of the lasting benefits and in terms of their capabilities. However, pets can be a major part of your life and provide a trusty companion. They can be a unique and valuable part of their life.
Take the first step toward hearing better. Give us a call today!