The goal of an audiologist is to improve our patient’s quality of life by addressing hearing loss and improving everyday communication. People often need to come to their own decision that their hearing needs to be addressed. This was especially true for my father.
My father was a welding and machine tooling instructor for 35 years. He also farmed in the summer. He never wore hearing protection. I remember in high school, he would have the television so loud he would have to mute it to have a conversation with the family.
My mother’s gentle persistence paid off and dad finally agreed to a hearing test. Even as an audiologist, I was shocked by the severity of his hearing loss. He was reluctant to try hearing aids. He used a number of common excuses: I can hear just fine, I am not that old, and on, and on. I could immediately tell the impact the hearing devices had on my dad, but he still would not admit they were helping. At the end of the appointment, he decided he would take them home. He said he didn’t want mom mad at me!
A few days later, I received a phone call from my dad. I was excited to “hear” how the hearing aids were working, but I didn’t ask, as my father can be defensive. At the end of the conversation, he said, “Marie, I am hearing so much better! I am so glad I took them home! I can hear better at meetings and at church!”
My mom and other siblings have also noticed the change. The TV is not as loud and we don’t have to yell for dad to hear us. The change is also noticeable every time we Facetime. He is able to hear his granddaughter now instead of just seeing her. My dad is so very grateful for his new-found hearing.
If you know of someone who could benefit from my services, send them my way! It will affect their lives in a positive way and increase their quality of life. They will be able to communicate more easily and enjoy interacting with friends and family again.
