Many people have powerful recollections of a beloved family pet. Cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, and a wide array of other animals can enhance our lives, and even, in some situations, become close companions. For people with hearing loss, pets can offer further benefits that improve symptom management and quality of life.
In some cases, pets convey these benefits because they have been specifically trained to do so. Particular tasks or specific kinds of help can be performed by these animals which are trained to provide help to individuals with hearing loss. But that isn’t always the situation. 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 difficult to hear and understand what people are saying, which can feel very isolating. This break in communication can cause the individual with hearing loss to isolate themselves.
So, is having a pet helpful for people with hearing loss? Definitely! There are a number of non-verbal ways that a companion animal can communicate. Clear communication with animals can be achieved without the need to hear verbal language. When somebody has hearing loss, it can be a really lonely time, and being able to connect with an animal friend can provide emotional support and comfort.
This doesn’t replace human-to-human social contact, of course. But when making human relationships is a challenge, it can offer some comfort and support. Additionally, pets can give you more opportunities to connect with other people. Even if you aren’t necessarily talking with people or making new friends, doing things like taking your dog for a walk in the park can give you the chance to be around others.
Pets can give aid
Service dogs, for example, make use of specialized training to assist their humans navigate the world more safely. People 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 assistance to their human.
Here are a few things that a service dog can do for somebody with hearing loss:
- Hearing the doorbell ring or a knock on the door.
- Detecting the sound of approaching traffic or other hazards.
- 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 who have hearing loss better engage in communication.
- Alerting their human to daily sounds like a phone ringing, alarm clock, or a screeching teakettle.
- 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 might benefit from having an animal around. Even a dog with no training will often bark when somebody 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 tuned in to their pet.
A symbiotic relationship
Many of the benefits that a pet can bring to your life may not even be recognized. Adding some structure to everyday life is one of those benefits. For example, they will need to be walked, fed, and loved several times every day. This structure can be an essential source of comfort. Many different kinds of animal-assisted therapies exist because of this.
But it’s essential 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 requirements.
It’s also essential to note that service animals can’t take the place of a pair of hearing aids, both in terms of the lasting benefits and in terms of their capabilities. However, pets can be a major part of your life and provide a trusty companion. For people with a hearing impairment, they can be an invaluable, and unique, part of their life.
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