Free hearing aids a blessing for recipient
Without the support of a national hearing campaign, Shirley Lu tyn ski would still be struggling to hear today.
The 88-year-old Peterborough resident was the recipient of a pair of free hearing aids, thanks to the National Campaign for Better Hearing.
The campaign provides free baseline hearing tests for anyone over the age of 60. It also gives away a number of free hearing aids to those in need who might not be able to afford them.
Lutynski’s daughters heard about the campaign and brought their mother Listen Up Canada on George St. in the summer to get tested.
The mother of five hadn’t had her hearing tested in about a dozen years. Back then, Lutynski’s test revealed her hearing was just fine. But over the years, she started to experience loss.
By the time she went into Listen Up in the summer, Lutynski was wearing an old pair of one of her daughter’s hearing aids.
Her relationship with her family had changed, too. It had become harder to communicate, resulting in less engagement.
And her family always seemed to be yelling at her because of her hearing difficulty.
After testing Lutynski’s hearing, Listen Up audiologist Kathy Pet lick a discovered that she needed two hearing aids.
Although the Ontario government contributes about $500 toward each aid for all citizens with O HIP, Lu tyn ski still couldn’ t afford the devices.
At about $5,500 for the set, the pensioner would have had to pay $4,500 out of pocket.
So Petlicka nominated Lutynski for a pair of free aids through the campaign’s Give Back program.
Not long afterwards, Lutynski learned she’d been selected as a recipient.
She’ s now sporting two clear hearing aids that are barely noticeable.
“I’m just happy I can hear now,” Lutynski said.
Her daughter Cindy Wilkins said how grateful her family was for the program.
“It’s a blessing that she can hear again,” Wilkins said.
Hearing loss affects one in five Canadians and 47 per cent are over the age of 60, according to the campaign.
Pet lick a said they’ re encouraging everyone over the age of 60 to get a test done, so they’ll have a baseline test on file to compare to their next test, later in life.
Hearing might not change for 20 years, or it could change rapidly, the audiologist said.
“There’s no hard and fast rule for age and hearing,” Petlicka said.
Yet despite it being a vital sense, Petlicka said hearing is often neglected.
“So many times people don’ t often get a hearing test until something is really wrong,” Petlicka said.
Lu tyn ski is the third city resident to receive free hearing aids through the campaign.