Happy memories of a cherished 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 individuals who have hearing loss can also be improved by having a pet friend.
In some circumstances, pets convey these benefits because they have been specifically trained to do so. Service animals for those with hearing loss can be trained to provide specific kinds of assistance or even complete special jobs. Sometimes, though, that isn’t the case. Friendship and comfort can come from animals with no special training. Special bonds between animals and people who have hearing loss are often formed as a result.
Is having a pet good for mental health?
With hearing loss, it can be hard to hear and understand what people are saying, which can feel very isolating. Communication becomes troubled and, as a result, you might spend less time socializing with other people.
So, is having a pet worthwhile? It sure is! There are a number of non-verbal ways that a companion animal can communicate. And while clear communication is essential with animals, it doesn’t rely on verbal language. Individuals with hearing loss can successfully bond with a wide variety 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 take the place of contact between humans. But when making human connections is a challenge, it can offer some comfort and support. Additionally, pets can offer you more opportunities to connect with other people. 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 initiate a conversation or make a new friend.
Pets can give aid
In the instance 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. Primarily, that means these service animals are trained to pay attention to 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:
- Service dogs can even be trained to distinguish their human’s name, and when someone is talking to that human. Individuals who have hearing loss will have an easier time communicating with others as a result.
- Hearing the doorbell ring or a knock on the door.
- Letting their human know that the smoke alarm is sounding.
- Detecting dangerous sounds like oncoming traffic.
- Observing (and alerting their human) to everyday sounds like tea kettles, alarm clocks, or the phone ringing.
Service animals are specially trained to detect these sounds and communicate them to their human. But other non-service animals can also be useful to someone with hearing loss. Even a dog without any training will often bark when someone rings the doorbell or knocks on the door. Cats and other animals will also usually react to abrupt or unfamiliar 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 everyday life is one of those benefits. They must get fed, walked, and given love on a regular basis, for instance. A structured life like this can be really comforting. Many different kinds 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 want to choose an animal that’s going to meet your requirements and that you will be able to properly care for.
While a service animal can be a great help, they aren’t able to provide the same degree of long-term benefits or the same capabilities as a hearing aid. Pets can, however, be great companions and can improve your overall quality of life. For individuals with a hearing loss, they can be an invaluable, and unique, part of their life.
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