Happy memories of a beloved pet is a common experience for many people. 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. For people who have hearing loss, pets can provide additional benefits that improve symptom management and quality of life.
Sometimes, pets are specifically trained to supply special benefits. Service animals for individuals with hearing loss can be trained to give specific types of support or even perform particular tasks. But that isn’t always the situation. Companionship and comfort can come from animals with no specialized training. That’s why, in many cases, people with hearing loss and their animal companions develop a special and unique bond.
Is having a pet good for mental health?
Untreated hearing loss can be extremely isolating, making it hard to hear and understand those around you. This gap in communication can cause the individual with hearing loss to seclude themselves.
So, is having a pet worthwhile? Absolutely! There are lots of non-verbal ways that a companion animal can communicate. Clear communication with animals can be achieved without needing 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.
This does not replace human-to-human social connection, of course. But it can give some solace and support when making other connections can be challenging. Also, pets can give you more opportunities to make connections with other humans. Bringing your dog to the dog park, for instance, can give you a chance to be around other people, even if you don’t necessarily strike up a conversation or make a new friend.
Pets can be ideal helpers
In the instance 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.
Some of the things a service dog for those with hearing loss is trained to do include the following:
- Detecting a knock at the door or a doorbell ringing.
- Detecting hazardous sounds like approaching traffic.
- Noticing (and alerting their human) to everyday sounds like tea kettles, alarm clocks, or the phone ringing.
- Letting their human know that the smoke alarm is sounding.
- Recognizing when someone speaks their human’s name or otherwise talks 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 specially trained to detect these sounds and convey them to their human. But service animals are not the only way one might 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 sudden or unknown sounds which their owner will recognize if they are in tune with their pet.
A symbiotic relationship
Pets can add many benefits to your life without you even recognizing it. Adding some structure to daily life is one of those benefits. They need to be fed, walked, and given affection on a regular basis, for example. A structured life like this can be very comforting. It’s one reason why all kinds of animal-assisted therapy types exist.
But if you’re thinking about getting a pet or service animal, it’s important to give it some careful consideration. You want to choose an animal that’s going to meet your needs and that you will be able to properly care for.
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. Pets can, however, be great companions and can improve your overall quality of life. They can be a unique and valuable part of their life.
Call us today for an assessment and start moving toward better hearing!