Many people have powerful memories of a beloved family pet. Cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, and a wide variety of other animals can enrich our lives, and even, in some situations, become close companions. Quality of life and symptom management for individuals who have hearing loss can also be improved by having a pet buddy.
In some circumstances, pets bring these benefits because they have been specifically trained to do so. Service animals for people with hearing loss can be trained to provide specific types of assistance or even complete particular jobs. But that’s not always the case. Companionship and comfort can come from animals with no specialized training. Special friendships between animals and people who have hearing loss are frequently formed as a result.
Can owning a pet provide improved mental health?
Untreated hearing loss can be exceptionally isolating, making it hard to hear and understand those around you. Communication becomes troubled and, because of this, you may spend less time socializing with other people.
So, is owning a pet helpful for individuals with hearing loss? It sure is! 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 does not rely on verbal language. People with hearing loss can effectively bond with a wide variety of pets (this is usually dependent on personal preferences), and these pets can provide comfort and emotional reinforcement during what might be a very lonely time.
Clearly, this doesn’t replace contact between humans. But when making human relationships is a challenge, it can provide some comfort and support. Additionally, pets can give you more chances to make connections 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 provide aid
Service dogs, as an example, utilize specialized training to help their humans get around the world more safely. Individuals with hearing loss will often fail to hear essential sounds around them and service animals are specifically trained to listen for those sounds and to provide guidance to their human.
Here are a few things that a service dog can do for someone with hearing loss:
- Detecting dangerous sounds like oncoming traffic.
- Letting their human know that the smoke detector is sounding.
- Service dogs can even be trained to distinguish their human’s name, and when that human is being spoken to. People with hearing loss will have an easier time communicating with others as a result.
- Observing (and alerting their human) to day-to-day sounds like tea kettles, alarm clocks, or the phone ringing.
- Hearing the doorbell ring or a knock on the door.
Detecting these sounds and alerting their human to them is something these animals are especially trained to do. But service animals are not the only way one could benefit from having an animal around. Even a dog without any training will often start barking when someone rings the doorbell or knocks on the door. Likewise, cats or other animals can be very sensitive to unexpected noises or changes, and people who are aware and dialed in with their pets may be able to pick up on these things, too.
A symbiotic relationship
Pets can add lots of benefits to your life without you even realizing it. Adding some structure to daily life is one of those benefits. For example, they will have to be walked, fed, and loved numerous times every day. This structure can be an important source of comfort. 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 pick an animal that’s going to meet your requirements and that you will be able to properly take care of.
While a service animal can be a great help, they aren’t capable of providing the same degree of lasting benefits or the same capabilities as a hearing aid. Pets can, however, be great companions and can enhance 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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