Top 8 Travel Tips for Hearing Aid Users

Snowbirds fly south for the winter

Living north of the 44th parallel means that many people – often referred to as Snowbirds – opt to head anywhere as far south of our border as possible during the winter months.

If you’re a Snowbird or a Snowbird-in-training that happens to wear hearing aids, there are a few things to remember while you’re living it up on the French Riviera or leisurely basking in the Florida sun.

You don’t want it to be a challenge to take care of your hearing instruments while you’re away from home and your local hearing clinic for an extended period.

So, we asked our audiology staff what they think people should pack before their winter getaway or any trip for that matter.

Before you leave

While planning your vacation, you may want to make an appointment to visit your hearing healthcare clinic for a thorough ‘clean and check’ of your hearing aids to make sure they’re in good working condition before you leave.

What to pack?

Pretty much everyone asked came up with some of the top 8 essentials you should always remember to pack to ensure you have everything you need to keep your hearing aids in top shape while you’re on your vacation.

1. Extra batteries

Seems like a no-brainer, but anything can be forgotten. Unless your hearing aids are rechargeable, you can’t have working hearing aids without them.

You should try to bring enough to last for your entire trip. If you do run out, make sure you know which batteries go inside of your hearing instruments.

Bayview Village Client Care Coordinator, Susan Thornton in North York reminds us that hearing aid battery sizes are colour-coded – 312 = Brown, 13 = Orange, 10 = Yellow and 675 = Blue. Susan notes, “the colour codes are the same across North America.”

2. Wax guards

Wax guards help you manage wax build-up in your hearing aids.

3. Cleaning supplies

These may include brushes, a cloth and replacement domes.

4. Dehumidifier kit

If you’re travelling to a more humid climate, consider bringing one of these kits to make sure moisture or even perspiration gets cleared out of your hearing aids. Also, keep your hearing aids away from the pool.

5. List of hearing health clinics

“A list of clinics that service your brand of hearing aid in the country you will be visiting is very useful,” according to Client Care Coordinator Oyinkan Martins from Hearing Solutions’ Lawrence and Bathurst clinic in Toronto.

6. Warranty card

Clinician Andrea Walczak from Hearing Solutions’ Hamilton clinic says “Many people don’t remember that their hearing aids come with a one-year international warranty” Thanks Andrea, that’s good to know.

7. Your hearing health clinic’s phone number

Many times, hearing aid problems can be solved over the phone. So, be sure to write down your local audiology clinic’s phone number and keep it handy in the event you feel you need it.

8. Always store hearing aids in their case

Try to avoid storing your hearing aids anywhere else except in its own container. For instance, hearing devices stored in a pocket could end up in the washing machine.

Bon voyage

Now that you have everything you need to take care of your hearing aids, it’s now time to enjoy the sights…and the sounds of your vacation.

When you come home you may need to go see your hearing aid specialist if you experienced any unresolved issues while on your trip.

At Hearing Solutions, we’d be happy to look at your hearing aids and help you get any lingering problems resolved.

Happy Trails!