When I was a young child in the late 1970’s, my mother always played soft, classic rock music on the stereo in our living room. To this day, I know just about every 70’s song ever recorded, from bands like the Eagles to Chicago. During the Christmas season, my mother would change the station on the stereo and play all the joyful Christmas songs from that era, the same ones still heard today during the holidays. As a child, the Christmas season was the most magical time of year for my siblings and me, and it remains my favorite time of year.
After my wife and I bought our first home in 2003, we started a new tradition: Christmas Eve would be celebrated at my house. Thankfully, my wife’s parents and mine, along with all our siblings, nieces and nephews, live nearby. As I think back over my adult years hosting Christmas Eve, I realized that Christmas music has never been played at my house on that night, and I now understand why: my hearing. Because I have always been hard of hearing, the only way I could enjoy that joyous music is by turning the volume up, which was way too loud for everyone else. Now that I’ve been properly fitted for hearing aids through HearingLife, that is going to change. It may only be November, but we’re already playing Christmas music at my house, and it’s so special to bring back all the happy memories from my youth.
A recent Harris Poll survey commissioned by HearingLife found that 44 percent of Americans with hearing loss feel isolated during holiday gatherings because they struggle to hear their family and loved ones. In fact, 72 percent of Americans with untreated hearing loss wish their hearing was better so that they could enjoy holiday gatherings, and 43 percent of those polled claimed they would rather just stay home instead of attending these gatherings. As someone who has struggled with hearing loss and done something about it, I feel that it is my obligation to help others experience the joyful sounds of the holidays, whether it’s the beautiful music playing or pleasant conversations with family members. So, I’ve teamed up with HearingLife for an incredible campaign. It’s called The Magic of Hearing Care Campaign, and it’s all about giving. After all, isn’t that what the holidays are all about? Through this incredible campaign, HearingLife is giving free hearing aids to six people in need who are struggling with hearing loss. All you need to do is submit your story or that of a loved one to hearinglife.com/magic. It’s that simple.
Hearing loss is not something that people need to just live with and ignore. The old stigma that wearing hearing aids is a sign of aging is simply not true. Millions of Americans, of all ages, struggle with this unnecessary problem because they believe this stigma, or they still view hearing aids as these big clunkers that everyone can see. Or, they think that having a hearing assessment is some sort of complicated, invasive procedure. Wrong! I can tell you from experience. I got my first hearing aids four years ago at the age of 45, and was recently refitted at HearingLife, where the assessment and hearing care that I received was pleasant and life changing. The hearing care professional was caring, supportive and took her time to listen to me and make the best recommendation for my hearing needs and lifestyle. I actually felt younger, not older, because I was able to hear things that I heard when I was younger that I had forgotten about. Furthermore, the modern hearing aids that I wear are practically invisible; you can’t even see them.
So do yourself or a loved one a favor this holiday season and go to your nearest HearingLife location and get a complimentary hearing assessment. I am confident you or your loved one will feel younger and more alive once your hearing is successfully treated. And those joyful sounds of the holidays? Well, you’ll see.
