In the US, about 3.6%, or around 11 million individuals, consider themselves deaf or seriously hard of hearing. This number swells to 48 million when you consider other Americans who have some degree of hearing loss. According to an article on the BBC, one common misconception is that people with hearing loss cannot travel because of safety and linguistic issues. In reality, as with any other person with a disability who travels, it’s all about planning in advance. If you’re somebody with hearing loss planning to go on a trip, here are some tips to make the journey smoother, safer, and more enjoyable.
Wear streamlined hearing aids
Most hearing aids are not really designed for subtlety. Aside from sometimes poking out of your ear canal, most models also have wires that loop around your ear or to the back of your head. In some cases, traveling with this setup can be cumbersome, with a risk of your aids falling out or getting snagged. As such, if your specific condition allows it, you may want to look into a more streamlined option. One such item to consider is hearing aid glasses. As seen on Nuance, this product serves as the intersection between sight and hearing. To the untrained eye, these specs look pretty standard, with the lenses available with prescriptions, blue light filtering, and photochromic UV coatings to suit your ocular preferences. However, the arms actually contain a discreet air conduction hearing aid. Using an app, these can be tailored to your specific tasks at hand. For instance, if you’re walking around a city and want to immerse yourself in your surroundings, you can set it to 360-degree amplification. Conversely, if you want to hone in on a tour guide, you can put them into noise-canceling mode. With this kind of sleek hearing aid, you can pick up on the sights and sounds of your travel since the NDCS notes that up to four in 10 deaf people have vision concerns, too.
Download a communications app
Language barriers can be enough of a struggle among hearing folk, so the fact that fewer people can sign can be an even bigger challenge for the hearing impaired. What’s more, even if you meet somebody who can sign, they may not know the same sign language as you do. This can lead to miscommunications that can lead to serious issues, especially if it concerns detailed aspects of travel like logistics, bookings, or payments. One way to circumvent this problem is to use a communications app. For instance, the Jeenie mobile app is a popular tool for many in the deaf community. The Schoolhouse Hotel, dubbed the world’s first fully accessible boutique hotel, even uses this app with its guests. Although it is a paid app, it offers 24/7 service. Available in 140 countries with interpreters for over 300 languages, including rare dialects, the app only takes an average of 30 minutes to connect to a live interpreter. Since it’s HIPAA-compliant, you can even use the service for health concerns that may occur. As such, while it is an extra expense, you’ll at least have the peace of mind of being able to communicate.
Pack backups safely
According to data on LinkedIn, an estimated six bags per 1,000 passengers get mishandled globally. While most of these cases are resolved, it can be a huge pain if the lost luggage includes your hearing aids, batteries, chargers, etc. As such, you’ll want to bring backups of all your most important items and spread them across your bags. As explained in a previous post about traveling in a wheelchair, this means that while you may pack the majority in your bigger checked-in bag, you should also bring a couple in your carry-on. Given that many people travel with companions, you can also ask them to stash a few of your backups. This way, you’ll never find yourself without your most important assistive items. If you’re packing especially expensive items, you also want to ensure that you’ve got the right travel insurance that will cover any losses.