Hearing aids make a big difference
Advertisement
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/02/2020 (1197 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
For several years now, my co-workers have complained that I frequently ask them to repeat themselves.
Since I’m usually the first point of contact for people who come into the office, I’ve gotten in the habit of leaning forward so that I am closer to the speaker but lately I’ve had to get up and walk around my desk so as to talk face-to-face. At home, I am constantly accusing my husband of “mumbling” and reminding my daughter that I can’t hear what she’s saying if she’s speaking in a different room.
I decided it was finally time to swallow my pride and look into the possibility of hearing aids. According to the Canadian Hearing Services website, one in four Canadians identify as experiencing hearing loss (https://www.chs.ca/facts-and-figures). Although my hearing impairment is considered mild, it affects the mid-range frequencies (which includes voices, for example) which is why I’ve been experiencing particular difficulty carrying on conversations.
I’m currently trying out a set of hearing aids for a month. Other than the fact they make my ear itchy, I’ve been pleasantly surprised what a difference they make. I found out that I can easily carry on a conversation with my husband, even while sitting across from each other in a noisy restaurant. It turns out my husband wasn’t mumbling after all! I’ve discovered that my home office printer makes a humming sound I’ve never noticed before. I’ve also come to find that while I’ve always considered myself to have a rather loud voice, if I talk in what was previously my normal tone I realize now that I was, in fact. practically shouting. I can now hear what other people are saying to me without asking them to speak louder or repeat themselves and I can actually hear what my daughter is saying to me when she calls out from another room.
After the trial period is over, I think I will try going back to not wearing hearing aids for a while in order to help me determine if their value to me really is worth the investment, although I already suspect they are.
I’m just sorry that I waited so long to actually give them a try. I suspect my co-workers and family are too.
Heather Innis is a community correspondent for Windsor Park. You can contact her at htiede@gmail.com
Heather Innis
Windsor Park community correspondent
Heather Innis is a community correspondent for Windsor Park.