Fond memories of a beloved pet is a common experience for many people. Our lives can be enriched by many types 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 friend.
In some circumstances, pets convey these benefits because they have been specially trained to do so. Particular tasks or specific types of help can be carried out by these animals which are trained to provide help to individuals with hearing loss. But that isn’t always the situation. Even an everyday animal companion with no special training can provide comfort and companionship. That’s why, in many cases, people with hearing loss and their animal friends develop a special and unique bond.
Can owning a pet give you improved mental health?
With hearing loss, it can be hard to hear and understand what people are saying, which can feel very isolating. Communication becomes troubled and, because of this, you might spend less time socializing with others.
So, is having a pet helpful for people with hearing loss? It sure is! There are lots of non-verbal ways that a companion animal can communicate. And while clear communication is essential with animals, it doesn’t depend on verbal language. Individuals with hearing loss can successfully bond with a wide variety of pets (this is usually dependent on personal preferences), and these pets can give comfort and emotional support during what may be a very lonesome time.
This does not replace human-to-human social connection, of course. But it can provide some solace and support when making other connections can be challenging. Also, pets can give you more opportunities to make connections with other people. Bringing 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 give aid
Service dogs, for example, make use of specialized training to help their humans get around the world more safely. People with hearing loss will frequently fail to hear important sounds around them and service animals are specifically trained to pay attention to those sounds and to provide guidance to their human.
Some of the things a service dog for people with hearing loss is trained to do include the following:
- Detecting a knock at the door or a doorbell ringing.
- Detecting dangerous sounds like approaching traffic.
- Service dogs can even be trained to recognize their human’s name, and when that human is being spoken to. This can help people with hearing loss better take part in communication.
- Observing (and alerting their human) to day-to-day sounds like tea kettles, alarm clocks, or the phone ringing.
- Notifying their human when the smoke alarm goes off.
Service animals are specially trained to detect 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 bark when the doorbell rings. Cats and other animals will also usually react to abrupt or unfamiliar sounds which their owner will recognize if they are tuned in to their pet.
A symbiotic relationship
Pets can add many benefits to your life without you even realizing it. They will immediately add a degree of structure to your everyday life. They must get fed, walked, and given affection on a regular basis, for example. This structure can be an essential source of comfort. Lots of different types of animal-assisted therapies exist because of this.
But it’s essential to be thoughtful if you’re considering a pet or a service animal. You will need to be able to properly care for the animal you pick and you will want one that will meet your needs.
While a service animal can be a great help, they aren’t able to provide the same degree of lasting benefits or the same capabilities as a hearing aid. Pets can, however, be wonderful companions and can enhance your overall quality of life. They can be a unique and important part of their life.
Call us today for an appointment and start moving toward better hearing!