Many individuals have strong recollections of a beloved 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 friend.
Sometimes, pets are specifically trained to provide special benefits. Particular jobs or specific kinds of help can be performed by these animals which are trained to provide help to people with hearing loss. But that isn’t always the case. Friendship and comfort can come from animals with no specialized training. That’s why, in many instances, individuals with hearing loss and their animal friends develop a special and unique bond.
Is owning a pet good for mental health?
Neglected hearing loss can be exceptionally isolating, making it hard to hear and understand people around you. Communication becomes fraught and, because of this, you may spend less time socializing with other people.
So, is having a pet helpful? It sure is! A cat, dog, or other companionable animal can communicate in lots of of non-verbal ways. And while clear communication is important with animals, it does not depend on verbal language. People with hearing loss can effectively bond with all kinds of pets (this is typically dependent on personal preferences), and these pets can give comfort and emotional support during what might be a very lonesome time.
Clearly, this doesn’t replace contact between humans. But when making human connections is difficult, it can offer some comfort and support. Pets can also help you discover opportunities to connect with other people. Even if you’re not necessarily talking with people 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 provide aid
Service dogs, as an example, use specialized training to help their humans get around the world more safely. Individuals 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.
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.
- Recognizing when somebody speaks their human’s name or otherwise speaks to their human is also something service dogs can be trained to do. This can help those with hearing loss better engage in communication.
- Letting their human know that the smoke alarm is sounding.
- Noticing (and alerting their human) to day-to-day sounds like tea kettles, alarm clocks, or the phone ringing.
- Detecting dangerous sounds like oncoming traffic.
Sensing these sounds and alerting their human to them is something these animals are specifically trained to do. But service animals aren’t the only way one might benefit from having an animal around. Even a dog without any training will often bark when somebody rings the doorbell or knocks on the door. Likewise, cats or other animals can be extremely sensitive to abrupt noises or changes, and people who are aware and in tune with their pets may be able to pick up on these things, as well.
A symbiotic relationship
Pets can add lots of benefits to your life without you even recognizing it. They will instantly add a degree of structure to your day-to-day life. They must get fed, walked, and given love on a regular basis, for example. A structured life like this can be really comforting. Lots of different types of animal-assisted therapies exist because of this.
But it’s worthwhile to be thoughtful if you’re thinking about getting a pet or a service animal. You will need to be able to take proper care of the animal you choose and you will want one that will meet your needs.
It’s also important to note that service animals can’t replace a pair of hearing aids, both in terms of the lasting benefits and in terms of their capabilities. Pets can, however, be wonderful companions and can enhance your overall quality of life. For individuals with a hearing impairment, they can be an invaluable, and unique, part of their life.
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