Travel is a recurring aspect of our lives. We travel for work and vacation, and also to see family and grandchildren. For many, traveling can be an enjoyable experience. But, for people with hearing loss, a routine trip can be as stressful as it is enjoyable.
We know many of you travel in the fall for work or to see friends and family, so we want to share some tips for traveling with hearing aids in order to make sure your trip is smooth and stress free.
Traveling with Hearing Aids: What Problems Should I be Aware of?
For patients who wear hearing aids, the best course of action is always to be proactive. This is especially true when it comes to traveling. Taking the time to think ahead about any issues you might face and preparing for them will ensure that your trip is smooth and enjoyable.
Some common problems you might face while traveling with hearing aids include:
- Hearing flight attendants or airport personnel
- Going through airport security
- Making any reservations or arrangements for rental cars, etc.
- Hearing warning sounds or calls for flight departures or delays
- Sensitivity to sounds in the car
Traveling with Hearing Aids: How to Be Prepared
There are several ways to prepare for your trip to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible.
- Make as many arrangements ahead of time as possible (have all directions printed out beforehand, check in and print boarding passes early, and plan to leave early enough to allow for any delays to your travel).
- Whether you are staying in a hotel or with family or friends, make sure that the location where you’re staying is aware of any needs you might have.
- Pack extra batteries for your hearing aids. A great tip is to pack batteries and hearing aid accessories in your carry on so that you have them with you at all times.
- Before leaving on your trip, contact us for any advice on caring for your hearing aids. If you are traveling to a more humid location, you will want to take extra care to keep your hearing aids dry.
- Check your homeowner’s insurance or the factor warranty of your hearing aids. It is good to know whether or not you will be covered if your hearing aids are lost or damaged while you are traveling.
- Sign up for text or email alerts to stay up to date on flight status and weather alerts. This will make sure you don’t miss any notifications about your travels.
- Consider downloading a few movies on your tablet if you would like entertainment for a long flight or car ride.
- Communicate with any security personnel you may come in contact with. It’s very unlikely you will need to remove your hearing aids while going through airport security. Just be sure to let them know you are wearing hearing aids so they can be fully aware.