John's Story
Hearing Aids Are Improving John's Hearing – and His Life
When John’s daughter-in-law came over for a visit, she parked on the road outside his house, and his radio program was so loud that she could hear it even while sitting in her parked car out on the street.
This was no isolated incident – his hearing loss meant that he couldn’t participate in conversations and was having trouble listening to his favorite television and radio programs.
This is John's story.
Struggling to Hear for Years
John, 76, a retired mechanical engineer from Portsmouth, NH, struggled to hear the radio, television, and conversations, and the only way he could enjoy his beloved talk radio programs – and favorite Saturday morning Polka Party radio show – was by turning the volume all the way up.
He actually had his hearing tested in 2016 and had some loss, but he didn’t need hearing aids at that time because his loss wasn’t severe back then. Over the years, however, his hearing has gotten progressively worse.
John first suspected his hearing loss had become an issue in 2023, when his wife, Suzanne, asked him (repeatedly!) to get his hearing checked. He was listening to the radio and television at top volume and Suzanne could hear his programs from anywhere in the house – including the basement. Additionally, he was constantly asking Suzanne to repeat herself, and found himself saying “What?” or “Huh?” often because he couldn’t hear what she was saying, even when she was speaking loudly.
He also had a difficult time participating in telephone, Zoom or in-person conversations with his two adult sons, two teenage granddaughters, friends, and physicians. People often had to shout for him to hear them, and they frequently had to repeat themselves.
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John with his wife, Suzanne.
Hearing Loss And a Double Ear Infection
John was seeing an ENT for some other medical issues, and during a recent appointment, Suzanne mentioned to the doctor that he was having trouble hearing. The ENT referred him to an audiologist for a hearing screening.
“Once I finally decided to go get my hearing checked, there was an issue with my ears. I apparently had a bad double ear infection. The audiologist couldn’t do the hearing test until the infection cleared up,” John said.
John's Wife
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When John’s ear infection finally cleared up, he went back to the audiologist’s practice for his hearing screening. The doctor found that he had 84% hearing loss in one ear and 70% loss in the other.
“No wonder he couldn’t hear anything,” Suzanne exclaimed. “His hearing loss was pretty severe.”
The audiologist recommended hearing aids, suggesting the kind of devices that sit on his ears, with small tubes inserted in his ears. John said the devices have improved his hearing – and his life.
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He added that can even hear much quieter sounds now, like ice clinking in his beverages and birds chirping outside.
“The hearing aids are doing what they’re supposed to do,” he said.
“And we don’t have the television or the radio blaring constantly anymore,” Suzanne added.
A Positive Experience at the ENT
John had been going to this ENT for years, so he was already an established patient and comfortable with the practice. He was pleased that he could see an audiologist in the same office and didn’t have to “start over” somewhere new. And the hearing clinic was affiliated with a highly rated, well-respected hospital, where John gets other medical treatments and care, so he felt comfortable that they were well-qualified to treat him.
“The people at the ENT office were very nice and caring. At my appointments before I got the hearing aids, the staff always looked at me when they talked to me so I could understand what they were saying, which was thoughtful,” John said.
“The audiologist at that practice was so good and thorough,” he continued. “It was a good experience for me.”
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He said the hearing practice was very efficient, and he didn’t have to wait long to be seen by the clinician. He added that everyone on staff was friendly, professional, and compassionate, and he felt like they genuinely wanted to help him improve his hearing.
John knows that some people are reluctant to wear hearing aids – or believe there’s a stigma around needing them – but that wasn’t the case for him.
“I wasn’t really reluctant to wear hearing aids, and I never felt like there was a stigma around needing them,” he explained. “I’ve known people of all ages that needed hearing aids, so I guess I never really associated them with aging or anything like that.”
John with his grandchildren.
Impressive Tech Advancements
John said he’s very impressed by the innovative technologies that are available now, as well as the hearing aids’ helpful, user-friendly features.
“I can use Bluetooth to connect my hearing aids to my phone, which makes it much easier to hear conversations. I can adjust the volume in my hearing aids with an app on my phone if I want to. There are a lot of cool things that hearing aids can do now,” he explained.
He’s glad he saw the audiologist and is really pleased with how well his hearing aids work. He advises anyone who thinks they might have hearing loss to go get checked out.
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Key Takeaways From John's Story for Hearing Care Professionals
John's journey from struggling with hearing loss to significantly improving his quality of life with hearing aids provides several valuable lessons for hearing care professionals.
Proactive Monitoring: Regular hearing screenings are crucial. John's initial hearing test in 2016 was a missed opportunity to discuss the benefits of early intervention or to set a monitoring plan as his hearing declined.
Enhanced Communication: John’s reluctance to initially seek help and his wife's persistence highlight the need for strategies to engage patients who might be dismissive of their hearing loss.
Integrated Care: John’s ENT and audiologist worked in the same practice, which streamlined his care. Ensure referral pathways are clear and efficient to minimize patient inconvenience and delay.
Embrace Technology: Introduce patients to advanced features like Bluetooth connectivity and app controls that enhance their experience with hearing aids.
Combat Stigma: John’s experience highlights that personal testimonials can be powerful in addressing stigma. Sharing success stories can reassure new users about the normalcy and benefits of using hearing aids.
Continuous Support: Offer regular follow-ups to adjust hearing aids and address any concerns, optimizing user satisfaction.
Auditdata Solutions
Raising Awareness, Improving Lives
As a leading provider of audiology solutions, we see it as our responsibility to raise awareness about the consequences of undetected hearing loss, help guide individuals to take the initial steps toward detection and treatment, and advise hearing care professionals on how to provide the best care experience.
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