8 Key Travelling Tips for Hearing Aid Wearers

See the sights, but make sure you can hear the sounds

For the past year and a half, “travelling” has meant quick trips to the store, medical appointments, and perhaps the odd socially distanced visit with family. But with vaccinations now making it safer to venture out into the world again, many people are re-planning trips they’d postponed when the pandemic hit.

If you’ve recently gotten hearing aids, or haven’t travelled since you started wearing them, the idea of packing up and heading off on an adventure might seem a bit daunting. But your new reality doesn’t have to hold you back at all. Yes, a little bit of planning and extra prep is necessary—but it’s worth it to be able to see the world again.

Especially when you know you’ll be able to hear it too.

These tips for traveling with hearing aids can help you confidently spread your wings and fly:

• Put spare batteries in your carry-on so you always have extras handy. However, if you’re flying, check with your airline to make sure you’re allowed to have them in carry-on. Some airlines require batteries to be packed in checked luggage, depending upon the type your hearing aid uses. It’s wise to carry a spare battery with you no matter where you go, even if you’re just doing a quick overnight road trip.
• In fact, make sure to carry all your accessories with you including your charging station, cleaning tools, filters, and case. Don’t pack them in your checked luggage, because if it goes missing during your flight, you’ll be without those important tools until your bag is recovered.
• If you’re travelling overseas, make sure you have an adaptor for the local power socket if you have a charger for your hearing aid.
• If you’re going somewhere humid or plan to be very active while on vacation, you might consider purchasing a hearing aid dehumidifier that will help remove moisture from your hearing aid and battery each night. Not only will this help improve your hearing aid’s performance, but moisture is also one of the most common causes of hearing aid failure, so it’s a good preventative measure to take.

• Keep your hearing aids on. It’s critical to be able to hear the announcements around you when you’re in airports and train stations, so even though it may be a challenging environment for you, keep your hearing aids in and turned on. Also, you don’t need to remove them during security (simply mention that you’re wearing them), nor do you need to turn them off during a flight. Hearing aids aren’t what they’re referring to when they ask passengers to turn off electronic devices.
• If you’re travelling alone, let flight staff know that you are wearing hearing aids so they can make sure to speak clearly and face you so that you can lip read if background noise is making it difficult to hear, even with your hearing aids in. It’s important for them to know that you have heard and understood all safety instructions.
• Make sure staff at hotels know you have hearing loss, and put your do-not-disturb sign on your hotel room door to make sure no one comes in without your knowledge if you happen to have your hearing aids out or turned off and can’t hear the knock.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Tour guides and hotel and transportation staff are there to help ensure that travelers can safely enjoy their tours and trips—including those with hearing loss.

Finally, before you head off into the wild blue yonder, visit a HearingLife clinic to have your hearing aid checked for fit and condition, and to ask any questions you may have about travelling with your hearing aid.

If you don’t have a hearing aid, but think you may need one, Zoomer subscribers can try the latest hearing aids free for 30 days!

When you do, you’ll be joining the more than 750,000 clients who chose to #SwitchLifeOn by trusting HearingLife with their hearing healthcare needs. HearingLife forms the largest network of hearing clinics with over 350 network clinics across Canada. Staffed by certified hearing healthcare professionals, HearingLife offers the most advanced hearing aid technology and up-to-date diagnostic equipment, as well as clinical support and exclusive 360-AfterCare.

Visit HearingLife to book an appointment and to get your free trial today!

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