Many individuals have strong memories of a beloved family pet. Our lives can be enriched by many types 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.
In some circumstances, pets convey these benefits because they have been specially trained to do so. Particular jobs 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’s not the case. Companionship and comfort can come from animals with no special training. That’s why, in many cases, individuals with hearing loss and their animal friends develop a special and unique bond.
Is owning a pet good for mental health?
Untreated hearing loss can be extremely isolating, making it difficult to hear and understand people around you. Communication becomes troubled and, because of this, you may spend less time socializing with other people.
So, is having a pet helpful for individuals who have hearing loss? Absolutely! A cat, dog, or other companionable animal can communicate in lots of of non-verbal ways. Clear communication with animals is possible without needing to hear verbal language. When somebody has hearing loss, it can be a really lonely time, and being able to bond with an animal friend can give emotional support and comfort.
Clearly, this doesn’t take the place of contact between humans. But it can give some solace and assistance when making other connections can be difficult. Also, pets can give you more chances to connect with other people. Taking your dog to the dog park, for example, can give you an opportunity to be around other people, even if you don’t necessarily initiate a conversation or make a new friend.
Pets can be ideal assistants
Service dogs, as an example, utilize specialized training to help their humans get around the world more safely. Mostly, that means these service animals are trained to be aware of sounds that people who have hearing loss might otherwise miss.
Some of the things a service dog for those who have hearing loss is trained to do include the following:
- Observing (and alerting their human) to day-to-day sounds like tea kettles, alarm clocks, or the phone ringing.
- Detecting dangerous sounds like oncoming traffic.
- Recognizing when somebody speaks their human’s name or otherwise talks to their human is also something service dogs can be trained to do. This can help those with hearing loss better engage in communication.
- Detecting a knock at the door or a ringing doorbell.
- Letting their human know that the smoke detector is sounding.
Service animals are specifically trained to detect these sounds and convey them to their human. But service animals aren’t the only way one could benefit from having an animal around. Even a non-trained dog can start barking when the doorbell rings. Cats and other animals will also often react to abrupt or unknown sounds which their owner will recognize if they are tuned in to their pet.
A symbiotic relationship
Pets can add lots of benefits to your life without you even recognizing it. Adding some structure to daily life is one of those benefits. For instance, they will have to be walked, fed, and loved numerous times each day. A structured life like this can be really comforting. It’s one reason why all types of animal-assisted therapy types exist.
But if you’re contemplating getting a pet or service animal, it’s important to give it some careful consideration. You want to pick an animal that’s going to meet your requirements and that you will be able to adequately care for.
It’s also important to note that service animals cannot replace a pair of hearing aids, both in terms of the lasting benefits and in terms of their capabilities. However, pets can be an important part of your life and provide a trusty companion. They can be a unique and important part of their life.
Call us today for an appointment and start moving toward better hearing!