Traveling solo can be a rewarding and empowering experience. If you have hearing loss, you may feel understandably intimidated by the idea of taking a trip alone. However, research has shown that it’s beneficial for socialization and health to be able to travel outside your local area.
Thankfully, there are several tips you can follow to help yourself have a fulfilling and safe solo adventure!
Pack Your Hearing Necessities
Don’t forget to bring your hearing aids or other assistive listening devices, as well as any accessories they might need. This can include extra batteries or your charger if you use rechargeable hearing aids, as well as their case or a drying box for storage and tools to keep your device clean.
Start With a Small Trip
You don’t need to plan a backpacking trip through Europe to have a memorable trip. Take a look at short flights out of Tampa International Airport to see what cities are within a 1–2-hour trip and plan a weekend getaway. This can help you get a better sense of what to expect when you travel further from home without feeling overwhelmed.
Research Where You’re Staying
Knowledge is power, and reading up on where you’re going will give you a better understanding of what to expect when it comes to local culture. Additionally, it can be helpful to pre-plan hearing loss-friendly activities, like checking to see if a museum you want to visit has a hearing loop system or offers other accommodations for people with hearing loss.
Choose The Right Hotel
In terms of accommodations, you also want to make sure any place you stay has hearing loss accessibility features. Inquire about whether the rooms have visual notification features, alarms that can be seen or felt and if the TV in the room has closed captioning features.
Stay in Touch With Family and Friends
Even though you’re traveling solo, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t involve your loved ones in at least part of the process. Have a plan to stay in touch with your family and friends back home. If you’re headed to a new country, make sure you have a way to make international texts and calls. Having a reliable way to contact someone is important in case something unexpected occurs, plus it can help to put your mind at ease before your trip.
To learn more about traveling safely with hearing loss or to schedule an appointment with one of our experts, call Kampsen Hearing today.