Why this matters: 

• Home is usually the place where people expect to feel most comfortable, included and understood. Much of family life happens through informal communication — conversations from another room, jokes over dinner, someone calling your name, appliances beeping or family members talking while moving around the house. Hearing people often receive this information without consciously thinking about it. For a deaf or hard-of-hearing person, constantly trying to keep up with these small pieces of communication can be tiring and frustrating, and missing them can sometimes lead to feeling left out even within your own family. Making home communication more accessible can have a big impact on relationships, independence and well-being. 

• Travelling and going on holidays can be exciting, but it also involves unfamiliar places, routines and people. Hearing travellers often rely on spoken announcements, conversations with staff, directions and information provided in busy places such as airports, hotels, attractions and public transport. For deaf and hard-of-hearing travellers, unfamiliar accents, background noise and audio-only information can make these situations much harder to navigate. Small accessibility adjustments and good preparation can make a significant difference to a person's confidence, independence and enjoyment while travelling. 

Being Deaf or hard of hearing can be challenging in general, but it can be especially frustrating at home when family members do not understand deafness or a person’s communication needs. Challenges can also occur while travelling, participating in water-based activities and spending time in unfamiliar environments. Several factors can make these situations difficult.

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HOME:

Whether a Deaf or hard-of-hearing person is home alone, visiting someone else’s house or living with other people, they may miss important information or alerts. In an emergency, this could place their safety at risk. They may not hear:

• Smoke alarms or other emergency alarms

• Someone calling for help

• A telephone ringing

• Kitchen timers or appliances beeping

Communication barriers can also occur between family members, friends and other people within a household. These barriers may be caused by:

• Large households

• Noisy rooms

• Conversations taking place in other rooms

• Several people speaking at the same time

Deaf and hard-of-hearing people can feel excluded during family discussions because fast speech, overlapping conversations and several people talking at once can make it difficult to follow what is being said.

They may also experience listening fatigue because of the additional concentration required to listen, process information and understand conversations. It is important to remain patient and allow them time to understand and respond.

Communication may be especially difficult when someone is:

• Mumbling

• Turning away while speaking

• Covering their mouth

• Speaking with an unfamiliar accent

• Speaking too quickly

Deaf and hard-of-hearing people may become frustrated when others ignore their communication requests. They ask people to make adjustments for a reason—not because they are trying to be difficult. These accommodations help make communication more accessible, so it is important to listen to and respect their requests.

People who use hearing aids or cochlear implants may need to remove their hearing aids or external cochlear implant processors while showering, swimming, sleeping or participating in some sports. Without access to their devices, they may feel vulnerable, isolated or unaware of what is happening around them.

Independence is also important. Many Deaf and hard-of-hearing people want to live independently but may experience concerns such as:

• Being alone during an emergency

• Not being aware of fire alarms or evacuation alerts

• Feeling vulnerable at night without access to their hearing devices

• Having to depend on other people for important information

• Being unable to manage an emergency independently

Communication barriers at home can also have emotional and social effects, including:

• Feeling as though they need to remain unnoticed

• Pretending to understand conversations

• Withdrawing from conversations, movies or television programs

• Giving up on participating because explaining their communication needs becomes exhausting

• Experiencing family conflict because people do not understand one another. 

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HOLIDAYS AND TRAVEL:

Holidays and travel can involve noisy and crowded environments, which may be overwhelming and stressful for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. These environments can make communication, safety and enjoyment more difficult.

Helpful supports when travelling with a Deaf or hard-of-hearing person may include:

• Visual boarding alerts

• Captioning or speech-to-text applications

• Careful travel planning

• Written itineraries

• Identifying quiet spaces

• Keeping a list of emergency contacts available

These supports can make a trip safer and more enjoyable for the Deaf or hard-of-hearing person.

Airports can be particularly challenging because of background noise, crowds, unfamiliar surroundings and several events happening at once. When a Deaf or hard-of-hearing person cannot understand what is happening around them, they may feel isolated, frightened, confused, stressed or anxious.

Airport security screening can also be stressful for people with cochlear implants. They may need to explain their hearing devices to security staff or temporarily remove their external processors, depending on the relevant security and device guidance. If their processors are removed, they may be unable to hear instructions. Airport staff should communicate clearly and provide written or visual information when needed.

Hotel check-ins can also be difficult, particularly when a Deaf or hard-of-hearing person is travelling alone. Reception staff may have limited knowledge of deafness or accessible communication. Unfamiliar accents, background noise and unclear speech can make information difficult to understand, potentially causing stress, frustration and communication breakdowns.

Public transport can create similar barriers. For example, sightseeing buses may provide information through plug-in headphones that are not accessible to every Deaf or hard-of-hearing passenger. Without captions, written information or other accessible options, passengers may feel excluded from the experience.

Unfamiliar places, accents, languages and environments can make communication and understanding more difficult. Deaf and hard-of-hearing people may also need to remove their hearing aids or external cochlear implant processors when they are:

• At beaches or swimming pools

• Participating in water activities

• Playing certain sports

Removing these devices can reduce their awareness of their surroundings and make communication more difficult.

Hearing devices may also be affected by:

• Water

• Heat

• Sand

• Physical activity or contact during sport

Announcements in hotels, airports, public transport areas, shopping centres and tourist attractions can be difficult to understand, particularly when they are delivered only through loudspeakers or when there is significant background noise.

When planning a trip with someone who is Deaf or hard of hearing, or when travelling as a Deaf or hard-of-hearing person, it may be helpful to consider:

• Visual communication tools

• Water-resistant accessories or protective equipment for hearing devices

• Insurance for hearing devices

• Written copies of important travel information

• Accessible emergency alerts

Travelling can be challenging for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people and the people travelling with them. Unfamiliar environments can increase communication stress, while changes in routine can reduce predictability. Fatigue can also increase misunderstandings, and inaccessible announcements may create safety risks.

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EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS:

While travelling or participating in activities, Deaf and hard-of-hearing people may experience:

• Frustration

• Exhaustion from concentrating

• Social isolation

• Anxiety during emergencies

• Feeling misunderstood

• Reduced confidence in unfamiliar environments

Young Deaf and hard-of-hearing children may feel excluded when communication is not adjusted to meet their needs. These adjustments help children access information, participate in activities and feel included alongside other children. Listening to each person’s individual communication needs can make homes, holidays and recreational activities safer, more accessible and more enjoyable.