Fond memories of a cherished 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.
Sometimes, pets are specifically trained to supply special benefits. Service animals for those with hearing loss can be trained to provide specific forms of support or even perform special jobs. Sometimes, though, that isn’t the situation. Companionship and comfort can come from animals with no special training. That’s why, in many cases, individuals 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 extremely isolating, making it difficult to hear and understand people around you. This break in communication can cause the person with hearing loss to isolate themselves.
So, is having a pet worthwhile? It sure is! There are a number of non-verbal ways that a companion animal can communicate. Clear communication with animals can be achieved without the need to hear verbal language. When someone has hearing loss, it can be a really lonely time, and being able to bond with an animal friend can provide emotional support and comfort.
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. Additionally, pets can offer you more chances to connect 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 opportunity to be around others.
Pets can be ideal helpers
In the instance 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 often fail to hear essential sounds around them and service animals are specifically trained to listen for those sounds and to provide guidance to their human.
Some of the things a service dog for those who have hearing loss is trained to do include the following:
- Detecting hazardous sounds like oncoming traffic.
- Hearing the doorbell ring or a knock on the door.
- Letting their human know that the smoke detector is sounding.
- Recognizing when somebody speaks their human’s name or otherwise talks to their human is also something service dogs can be trained to do. People with hearing loss will have an easier time communicating with others as a result.
- Noticing (and alerting their human) to everyday sounds like tea kettles, alarm clocks, or the phone ringing.
Detecting these sounds and alerting their human to them is something these animals are especially trained to do. But service animals are not the only way one could benefit from having an animal around. Even a dog with no training will often bark when somebody rings the doorbell or knocks on the door. Similarly, cats or other animals can be very sensitive to unexpected 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 may not even be recognized. They will immediately add a degree of structure to your everyday life. For example, they will need to be walked, fed, and loved numerous times each day. A structured life like this can be really comforting. Many different types of animal-assisted therapies exist because of this.
But it’s important 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 needs and that you will be able to adequately take care of.
While a service animal can be a big help, they aren’t able to provide the same degree of lasting benefits or the same capabilities as a hearing aid. However, pets can be an important part of your life and provide a trusty companion. For people with a hearing loss, they can be an invaluable, and unique, part of their life.
Take the first step toward better hearing. Give us a call today!