Traveling can be incredibly exciting, allowing you to explore destinations and enjoy activities worldwide. You can visit historical landmarks, explore unique cultural traditions and practices, indulge in culinary delights, or even stop by filming locations of your favorite movies and shows. Travel is hardly stress-free, but challenges can be much more difficult to overcome for hard-of-hearing people. Crowded tourist spots, interactions with guides and locals, and navigating new areas can be a struggle with hearing loss since you have to work harder to communicate efficiently. Fortunately, you can still enjoy your trip by bringing the right essentials to assist you during your travels.
Here are some travel must-haves for the heard of hearing.
Hearing Aids
Hearing aids are one of the most common types of assistive devices for hard-of-hearing people, and they can make your travels much easier. If you’re able to hear sounds better, it can enhance your communication and allow you to tune into your surroundings better, lowering the risk of any mishaps while traveling. Aside from your hearing aids, bring your charger and cords so they won’t die on you while traveling, even for a short trip. If physical batteries are needed, bring them along and pack extras since they might be difficult to find at your destination. If you’re able to, you can pack spare hearing aids as well. You can consider an over-the-counter (OTC) option that isn’t as expensive as prescription hearing aids, which will come in handy in case your hearing aids die or get wet. Pack it in a container and store it with other important essentials.
Though traditional hearing aids are incredibly helpful, you might feel apprehensive about traveling with them. You might feel discomfort while wearing them, or you may not like the look. If you’re wondering how to improve hearing without hearing aids, the hearing glasses from Nuance can make you feel less conscious. Nuance Audio hearing glasses integrate hearing solutions into a stylish pair of glasses, combining hearing technology with vision correction. Open-ear speakers are built into the glasses, creating a subtle look since the technology is hidden. It also doesn’t require you to insert anything into your ear, which can make for a more comfortable experience. The glasses use beamforming technology to amplify the sounds you’re looking at while cutting down background noise. You can easily converse with your travel companion, tour guide, and locals without struggling to hear them, especially in crowded tourist spots.
Other Options
Another option you can consider is earphones. Some of the latest models, like the Apple AirPods Pro 2, come with hearing aid settings to amplify sound. The US Food and Drug Administration authorized the first OTC hearing aid software to be used with the AirPods Pro 2, allowing them to double as hearing aids for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. You can set them up using your iPhone, which will also measure your hearing levels with the iOS HealthKit. The amplification and balance settings can be customized to suit your needs for a personalized experience. They’re an accessible and multipurpose option if you’re not keen on wearing hearing aids or want an extra device to complement them.
Travel Apps
Apps can help address challenges like communication barriers, which are more pronounced for hard-of-hearing people. Translation apps can help bridge language gaps while offering an easier experience for people with hearing loss. Google Translate is one of the most well-known and straightforward apps, allowing you to type anything and translate it into a wide range of languages. You can ask the person you’re talking to to type or speak, and the app can translate what they’re saying into written text. This can make it easier to have smooth conversations with local residents if you need directions or want to purchase something. Some apps can also translate text from your camera or photos. You can write down what you want to say and use your camera to translate or quickly scan menus, documents, and signs. This feature is useful for languages that may be hard to pronounce or type.
Translation apps aren’t perfect, but they’re incredibly convenient for any traveler, hard of hearing or not.
More Travel Apps
Navigating a different country can also be challenging for hard-of-hearing people. Public transportation can be a hassle as you might be unable to hear the announcement of your stop or have difficulty communicating where you want to go. Ride sharing apps are a good option since you can easily book a trip on the platform without having to tell the driver where you’re going. Research the apps available in your destination and create an account before you travel so it’s ready to go when you arrive. If ride sharing isn’t available, apps like Transit make information on public transit accessible and easy to understand. It can give you the next departure schedules of trains and buses or track them on the map near your location; you won’t need to worry about missing a stop or a departure announcement.
Apps can also inform you about service alerts like active detours or service disruptions. They’ll even show you the safest routes for biking, making it a versatile app for various transportation options. Transportation apps can make it much easier to get around, allowing you more agency and control over where, when, and how you want to travel around your destination.
Handy Communication Essentials
Technology may not always be available to assist you as you travel. As such, having non-technology essentials you can use to help you communicate can save the day. A pen and a notepad are simple items to carry around. It can be a hassle to strain yourself to hear others in crowded places, so being able to write down and read text can make conversations less stressful. As mentioned, it can also be helpful if you want to translate text using your phone’s camera. You can jot down other information like directions, recommendations for activities and destinations, or details like phone numbers or addresses.
Make sure you. bring identification essentials to tell people you have hearing loss. You can hand out cards that offer tips for people to make communication easier, such as speaking clearly or facing you when talking. Wristbands or tags can also work for easy identification. These can save you time explaining your disability to others and ensure they can accommodate your hearing loss.