Fond memories of a beloved pet is a common experience for many individuals. 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 provide special benefits. Service animals for individuals with hearing loss can be trained to provide specific forms of support or even perform particular jobs. Sometimes, though, that isn’t the case. Friendship and comfort can come from animals with no specialized training. Special bonds between animals and people who have hearing loss are frequently 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 really isolating. This break in communication can cause the person with hearing loss to isolate themselves.
So, is owning a pet helpful for people with hearing loss? Definitely! A dog, cat, or other companionable animal can communicate in lots of of non-verbal ways. And while clear communication is essential with animals, it doesn’t depend on verbal language. Individuals with hearing loss can effectively bond with all kinds of pets (this is usually dependent on personal preferences), and these pets can provide comfort and emotional support during what might be a very lonesome time.
Clearly, this doesn’t replace contact between humans. But it can provide some consolation and assistance when making other connections can be challenging. Pets can also help you discover opportunities 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 give aid
In the case of a service dog for hearing impaired people, these animals are specially trained to assist their human companions in moving around and functioning in the world. Individuals with hearing loss will frequently fail to hear important sounds around them and service animals are specifically trained to listen for those sounds and to provide assistance to their human.
Some of the things a service dog for people with hearing loss is trained to do include the following:
- Service dogs can even be trained to recognize their human’s name, and when someone is talking to that human. People with hearing loss will have an easier time communicating with others as a result.
- Observing (and alerting their human) to everyday sounds like tea kettles, alarm clocks, or the phone ringing.
- Hearing the doorbell ring or someone knocking on the door.
- Informing their human when the smoke alarm goes off.
- Detecting hazardous sounds like oncoming traffic.
Detecting these sounds and alerting their human to them is something these animals are specifically trained to do. But service animals are not the only way one might 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 unfamiliar sounds which their owner will pick up on if they are in tune with their pet.
A symbiotic relationship
Pets can add many benefits to your life without you even recognizing it. They will immediately add a degree of structure to your daily life. They must get fed, walked, and given love on a regular basis, for instance. This structure can be an essential source of comfort. 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 will need to be able to properly care for the animal you select 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 long-term benefits and in terms of their capabilities. However, pets can be a major part of your life and provide a trusty companion. For individuals with a hearing loss, they can be a significant, and unique, part of their life.
Call us today for an assessment and begin moving toward better hearing!