Many individuals have powerful recollections of a beloved family pet. 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. For people who have hearing loss, pets can provide further benefits that improve symptom management and quality of life.
In some cases, pets bring these benefits because they have been specifically trained to do so. Particular tasks or specific kinds of help can be carried out by these animals which are trained to provide help to people with hearing loss. Sometimes, though, that isn’t the case. Companionship and comfort can come from animals with no specialized training. Special friendships between animals and individuals who have hearing loss are often formed as a result.
Is owning a pet good for mental health?
With hearing loss, it can be difficult to hear and understand what people are saying, which can feel very isolating. This gap in communication can cause the person with hearing loss to isolate themselves.
So, is having a pet helpful? It sure is! A dog, cat, or other companionable animal can communicate in a wide variety of non-verbal ways. Clear communication with animals is possible without needing to hear verbal language. Individuals with hearing loss can effectively bond with all kinds of pets (this is typically dependent on personal preferences), and these pets can provide comfort and emotional reinforcement during what might be a very lonely time.
Obviously, this doesn’t replace contact between humans. But when making human relationships is difficult, it can provide some comfort and support. Also, pets can offer you more chances to make connections with other people. Even if you aren’t necessarily talking with people 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 provide aid
In the case of a service dog for hearing impaired individuals, these animals are specially trained to assist their human companions in moving around and functioning in the world. Individuals with hearing loss will often fail to hear essential sounds around them and service animals are specifically trained to pay attention to those sounds and to provide direction to their human.
Here are a few things that a service dog can do for someone with hearing loss:
- Service dogs can even be trained to distinguish their human’s name, and when that human is being spoken to. People who have hearing loss will have an easier time communicating with others as a result.
- Detecting the sound of oncoming traffic or other dangers.
- Informing their human when the smoke alarm is sounding.
- Detecting a knock at the door or a doorbell ringing.
- Alerting their human to everyday sounds including a phone ringing, alarm clock, or a whistling teapot.
Service animals are specifically trained to notice these sounds and communicate them to their human. But service animals are not the only way one might benefit from having an animal around. Even a dog with no training will often start barking when someone rings the doorbell or knocks on the door. Cats and other animals will also usually react to abrupt or unknown sounds which their owner will recognize if they are tuned in to their pet.
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 day-to-day life. For example, they will need to be walked, fed, and loved several times every 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 worthwhile to be thoughtful if you’re considering 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 adequately take care of.
It’s also important to note that service animals cannot replace a pair of hearing aids, both in terms of the long-term benefits and in terms of their capabilities. However, pets can be a vital part of your life and provide a trusty companion. For individuals with a hearing loss, they can be an invaluable, and unique, part of their life.
Call us today for an assessment and start moving toward better hearing!