They seek to help travellers with hearing loss enjoy stress-free summer holidays.
Audiologist Laura Evans of Cathedral Hearing and holiday specialist Helen Davis of Travel Counsellors have created a ‘Holiday Hearing Health Checklist’ to help people with hearing loss travel with greater confidence and peace of mind.
The pair, who are business neighbours on Sandford Street, Lichfield, want to encourage travellers to think about both their hearing health and travel arrangements, and have made the special checklist available on their websites.
Also throughout the summer, they will be sharing practical travel tips and expert advice on social media designed to help travellers feel prepared, supported and ready to enjoy their holiday.
More than 18 million UK adults are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus, according to RNID, while around three million use hearing aids. Despite this, hearing health is often overlooked when planning a holiday.
Laura Evans said “I often see people spend weeks planning their holiday but give very little thought to their hearing aids until the day before they leave”.
A quick hearing check and a bit of preparation can make a huge difference. Whether it’s hearing announcements at the airport, enjoying conversations over dinner or simply relaxing knowing you have spare batteries and chargers with you, a little forward planning helps people get the most from their holiday.
Laura recommends travellers:
- Book a hearing check before travelling if they have noticed any changes in their hearing.
- Have hearing aids professionally serviced and checked before departure.
- Pack spare batteries, chargers, domes, filters, and cleaning supplies.
- Store hearing aids safely when swimming or enjoying water activities.
- Consider ear protection for flights, concerts, festivals, and other noisy environments.
- Save important hearing aid settings and manufacturer support details before travelling abroad.
Helen Davis wants people who use hearing technology to feel supported throughout their whole journey. She said that “when I’m helping clients plan a trip, it’s often the little details that make the biggest difference”.
Something as simple as arranging airport assistance in advance, choosing accommodation that suits their needs or checking insurance cover for hearing aids can remove a lot of worry. My job is to highlight those practicalities so people can focus on enjoying their holiday.
Helen recommends travellers:
- On the plane, always use earplugs or noisecancelling headphones and keep the volume sensible. For babies, feeding during ascent and descent or giving a dummy encourages swallowing and helps with pressure changes.
- At your destination, be wary of loud events beyond your normal activities. Bars, beach clubs, concerts and festivals can be very loud, especially indoors. Give your ears a break if you do enjoy these activities.
- In pools or the sea, try not to forcefully dive with ears unprotected, especially if you have had ear issues before. And remember to dry your ears gently afterwards.
Laura and Helen also encourage holidaymakers to prepare for unexpected problems. Knowing what to do if a hearing aid is lost, damaged or stops working can reduce stress while away.
They recommend:
- Keeping manufacturer details and warranty information with travel documents.
- Saving emergency contact details for their audiologist and hearing aid provider.
- Knowing how to access local medical assistance if they experience sudden hearing changes, ear pain or infection.
- Carrying a written explanation of any hearing needs, particularly when visiting countries where there may be a language barrier.
Laura said: “Holidays should be about making memories, not worrying about what might go wrong.
By taking a few simple steps before travelling, people with hearing loss can feel more confident, more independent and better prepared to enjoy every part of their trip.
For more information visit www.cathedralhearing.co.uk or www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/helen.davis