Many people have powerful recollections of a cherished family pet. Cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, and a wide array of other animals can enhance our lives, and even, in some cases, become 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 cases, 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 perform particular jobs. But that isn’t always the situation. Friendship and comfort can come from animals with no specialized 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?
With hearing loss, it can be hard 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? Absolutely! A cat, dog, or other companionable animal can communicate in lots of of non-verbal ways. Clear communication with animals can be achieved without needing to hear verbal language. When someone 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 does not replace human-to-human social contact, of course. But it can give some consolation and assistance when making other connections can be challenging. Also, pets can offer you more chances to make connections with other humans. Taking your dog to the dog park, for instance, can give you a chance to be around other people, even if you don’t necessarily strike up a conversation or make a new friend.
Pets can be ideal helpers
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. Generally, that means these service animals are trained to be aware of sounds that individuals who have hearing loss may otherwise miss.
Some of the things a service dog for those who have hearing loss is trained to do include the following:
- Informing their human when the smoke alarm is sounding.
- Hearing the doorbell ring or someone knocking on the door.
- Observing (and alerting their human) to everyday sounds like tea kettles, alarm clocks, or the phone ringing.
- Detecting the sound of oncoming traffic or other dangers.
- Recognizing when someone speaks their human’s name or otherwise talks to their human is also something service dogs can be trained to do. People with hearing loss will have an easier time communicating with others as a result.
Service animals are specifically trained to notice these sounds and communicate them to their human. But service animals are not the only way one could 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 sudden or unfamiliar sounds which their owner will recognize if they are in tune with their pet.
A symbiotic relationship
Pets can add lots of benefits to your life without you even realizing it. They will immediately add a degree of structure to your everyday life. For example, they will have to be walked, fed, and loved several times each day. This structure can be an essential source of comfort. Lots of different types 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 want to select an animal that’s going to meet your requirements and that you will be able to adequately care for.
It’s also essential to note that service animals cannot take the place of a pair of hearing aids, both in terms of the long-term benefits and in terms of their capabilities. Pets can, however, be wonderful companions and can enhance your overall quality of life. They can be a unique and important part of their life.
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