My hearing problems evidenced themselves about five years ago in my early 70’s.
At family celebrations, I would lose bits of conversation, asking people to repeat what they said. Family members began to recognize that I was not hearing everything and at first, teased that I should get a hearing aid.
Then, I noticed that one ear, the left, was less sensitive than the other. To compensate, I would turn my more sensitive ear toward the sound/voice/conversation. Eventually, I found in some situations, it made no difference which way I turned, hearing was still difficult. For example, in restaurants I had difficulty hearing people sitting across the table, people at the far end of the table were out of my hearing range.
Not only did this hearing situation stress me, but the worry was how would it progress, total deafness? I decided time to get some expert advice.
I had my hearing test at a local audio clinic and they confirmed hearing loss. I wasn’t ready to accept my hearing loss. I did not want to wear a hearing aid. Vanity was likely the obstacle, though I insisted it was the inconvenience of working with a hearing aid every day.
A few more years down the road and many admonitions from family members later, I decided to go to an audio clinic again and chose one recommended by a business colleague.
The visit answered many questions:
- Hearing loss progresses at a different rate, if at all, for individuals. Mine seemed to have stopped for now.
- Hearing aids technology has progressed a lot; devices available now can be inserted into the ear canal so they are not even noticeable at all. Only those who look for the device will notice it in the ear but most people will not notice a device is being worn.
- Again, maintenance issues are minimal due to technological advancements; battery life is extensive and easily managed;
- Daily use is much easier and more practical than anticipated; hearing aids pair with cell phones (smartphones ) and can be easily adjusted if need be and depending on the situation. For example, sounds situations differ affecting the ears differently. Sounds in an auditorium or a restaurant differ from a quiet room or the home kitchen. Ambient clattering or ‘grey noise’ impacts on what is heard.
- Cost is another worrisome issue, however, Ontario Government grants are available decreasing the cost of the device by $1000; some individuals may have medical insurance coverage that can further reduce the expense. Price also is determined by the type of hearing device one chooses: different models differ in price. Determining factors are things like size, in-canal vs external, battery vs rechargeable.
I decided to give getting a hearing aid serious consideration. Read more in the series.
