Celebrate your hearing aids!
FORMER teacher Lindy Pieri, 67, is a hearing aid wearer who certainly doesn’t fit the old stereotype. She has a busy life as an actress, as well as indulging in passions such as music and photography.
‘I’ve also taken up ballet recently and absolutely love it! It’s never too late to learn something new,’ she says.
Lindy (pictured), from Norfolk, started wearing hearing aids in her 50s, having struggled to hear well for most of her life.
‘I thought it was due to blocked ears and just put up with it until I asked a doctor about having wax removed. He told me I didn’t need that but did need hearing aids.’
Trying to disguise her hearing loss had become a way of life. ‘I found it embarrassing to keep asking others to repeat themselves, so I often “guesstimated” what they were saying to avoid having to ask again.’
She found train travel hard, as the poor quality of Tannoy announcements at stations often made them challenging to hear.
‘I’ve missed connections because of hearing loss. I once got on the wrong train late at night and ended up miles away with no more trains until the next day!’
And Lindy found her social life was affected. ‘I am a social person and love people, but background noise and large open venues made hearing more of a challenge,’ she says.
It was feeling cut off from conversations and knowing her TV volume was too high that prompted Lindy to get a hearing test.
Since using hearing aids, Lindy has felt more able to engage in one-to-one situations — and finds it easier to listen out for information when travelling.
‘I feel more confident as they improve how I hear,’ she says. ‘And I enjoy listening to music now and being able to have the TV at a normal volume.’
Her advice to anyone who may be in denial about their hearing loss? ‘Go and have your hearing checked! Get your hearing aids and celebrate them!’