The gradual loss of hearing can be a heartwrenching and isolating journey. It’s an experience Val Clement knows well.
“Once your hearing goes, it’s hard,” explains Val. “You can assume what others say, but it just doesn’t work. It hurts your family life. You can’t watch TV. You can’t listen to music.”
Val has lived with hearing loss for over a decade. After years of treatments and hearing devices, his hearing declined to the point where current treatments were no longer working. Val booked an appointment with Star Valley Health audiologist Dr. Zack Hale. After a series of tests, he was fitted for a new set of hearing aids.
“Dr. Hale is very thorough, and he’s very kind,” says Val. “He makes you feel like he’s known you for a long time. He wants to make sure that you have what is necessary so you can have a good quality of life.”
According to the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA), about one in seven people in the US live with some degree of hearing loss, and numbers are on the rise. Val urges those experiencing hearing loss to schedule an appointment as quickly as possible. “You need to get right in, because the sooner you get on top of it, the better off you’ll be.”
As for Val? It’s been nearly six months since he was fitted for his new hearing aids. His world has opened up again, and he’s back to his favorite shows and tunes. “It’s going very well. I can hear people around me and I can communicate. It’s just a whole different ball game.”