31 Dec Travelling with Hearing Aids: A Guide for Holiday Trips
Summer is the perfect time for travel, and the last thing you want to worry about on your adventures is your hearing aids. At Adelaide Hearing, we believe your travel stories should be about the memories you make, not the challenges with your devices. That’s why we’ve created this handy guide to help you travel confidently with your hearing aids.
1.Pre-Trip Preparations
You can do a lot before you leave to make sure you get the most out of your hearing aids while travelling. These include:
Consult with Your Audiologist
If you haven’t had your hearing and hearing aids checked in a while, book an appointment before you go. This way, your audiologist can check your hearing and hearing aids and make sure everything is optimised so you can hear your best on your trip.
Your audiologist can also provide maintenance tips and tricks you might need while away. There are lots of potential hearing aid issues that you can troubleshoot yourself if you know how.
Packing Essentials
Just like you write a packing list for your clothes, write one for everything you need to take for your hearing aids. This should include wax guards, domes, cleaning tools, batteries, charging devices, a travel case, accessories, adaptors for any charging units if travelling overseas, and anything else you might need. If you are unsure which items apply to your hearing aids, our audiologists at Adelaide Hearing are happy to help you ensure you have everything you need.
It can be a good idea to make sure you have an extra case for your hearing aids that you can carry with you. This way, if you need to take your hearing aids out for any reason, such as while sleeping on a plane or going swimming, you have somewhere safe to put them.
2.Transportation Considerations
Air Travel
Passing through airport security with hearing aids is usually hassle-free, so you can leave them in and proceed as normal. Planes can be noisy, but most hearing aids will automatically adjust to reduce background noise. However, if you have a manual noise program, you may want to activate this – especially during take-off and landing. Unlike phones, your hearing aids don’t need to be put into any special mode during the flight, so you can leave them on and enjoy your journey!
Road Trips
Road trips can be fun, but not so much if you cannot hear your travel companion. Make sure you have your hearing aids on while travelling in the car so you can talk to other people. If hearing in the car is a particular issue, speak to your audiologist before you go. They may be able to set up a particular program or recommend an accessory that makes this easier.
Cars can get hot quickly. Do not leave your hearing aids in the car when you are not in it. If they get too hot, they may be damaged.
3.Accommodations
Communication with Hotel Staff
Please inform the hotel staff if you have a hearing loss. This is particularly important if you are travelling alone. If there is an emergency during the night and you do not have your hearing aids in, they need to know to alert you to the need to evacuate if you do not hear the alarms.
Knowing you have a hearing loss can also help staff who may be entering your room for any reason. They must ensure you know who they are and why they are there.
Some staff may supply visual alerting equipment for doorbells and alarms; make sure you ask for these if the accommodation supplies them.
4.Navigating New Environments
Managing Noise Levels
Do your research to find quieter dining locations or ask a local. It is also a good idea to remember to choose a table away from the noise sources in these sorts of venues to make it easier to hear. Sitting at a table with your back towards most of the noise is also a good idea. You do not hear as well from behind you, which can help reduce the noise you hear.
Local Attractions and Activities
It can be worth spending some time in advance researching venues that are hearing-aid-friendly. If your hearing aids have a telecoil, look to see if the venue has a loop system, and ask about this when making bookings, as some venues only have specific seats within the loop system.
5.Know Where You Can Go for Help
Even with the best plans, sometimes things go wrong. If this happens, contact your clinic, and they can help you troubleshoot or advise you on where to go for help. If you travel overseas and rely heavily on a single hearing aid, take your spare if you have one.
6.Care and Maintenance
Make sure you stay on top of the care and maintenance for your hearing aids while travelling. This includes cleaning them, charging them or changing batteries, replacing parts and anything else you have been advised to do by your audiologist. When travelling and out of your routine, it can be easy to skip things, but staying on top of looking after your hearing aids is essential.
Hearing Solutions at Adelaide Hearing
Adelaide Hearing is an independent, locally owned hearing clinic, known for delivering genuine, transparent, and effective hearing care, proudly serving the hearing health of our local community for over 20 years. With clinics in Torrens Park and Fulham Gardens, we offer a comprehensive range of services ensuring you receive the best recommendations and solutions for your hearing needs.
For more information or to book your pre-travel check-up today, call Adelaide Hearing on 08 8357 2290.