Brian Stone, 72, from Gloucestershire is a father and grandfather. Like many people in the UK, Brian found himself struggling to hear in certain situations. He has recently been fitted with ReSound LiNX hearing aids and tells us about his experiences.
A mechanic, Brian ran his own business for 30 years before retiring in his late 60s. If he thought life would start to slow down when he retired, he was wrong. Instead he is busier than ever.
We bought ourselves a camper van when I retired. We have grandchildren in Devon and North Wales so when we go and visit them, we can stop off on the way, break the journey up and get to see more of the country-side. We’ve always enjoyed walking – with dogs it is just something you do every day. We take the van, find a nice campsite and spend a few days exploring the area. The grandchildren come with us sometimes which is a riot.
Brian is also an active and vocal member of his local rugby clubI gave up playing a long time ago, when I dislocated my knee, but the club has always been a big part of our lives. It’s a family friendly club. Our children grew up there and there are always kids running around, shouting and playing. It’s great to see the next generation coming up through the ranks. Mind you they seem to get noisier with every year.
Despite his active social life, it was at home that Brian first noticed his hearing loss
Actually my wife noticed it before I did. We would be watching television and I’d have the volume set at the level that I could hear it, but I could tell by her face that it was too loud for her. So I’d say, “OK you put it where you want it” and she’d turn it down and then I wouldn’t be able to hear it. I mean I could hear noise, but not what people were saying.
Retrospectively Brian can see that his hearing loss was starting to affect his behaviour outside the home as wellWhen I popped into the rugby club after a match, I couldn’t hear what was going on. It was so noisy, I couldn’t hear a thing. I’d have no idea what people were saying and so I couldn’t join in. I’d have a quick pint and just go back home. And that wasn’t me really. I was always really sociable. I suppose I just put it down to getting old.
However, once he realised what the issue was, Brian didn’t hesitate to see a hearing aid dispenserIf there was a solution, I was definitely going to give it a go.
Brian was fitted with a pair of ReSound LiNX hearing aids and he was pleasantly surprised when he saw just how small and discreet they wereNo-one has noticed these hearing aids at all. Even my daughter and she knew I was getting them. She didn’t realise I had them in. Some chap down the rugby club came up to me and said “I hear that you’re going to be getting hearing aids too” and he had these great, big bulky ones in but even when we were talking about it he didn’t realise I was wearing mine. When I showed him, he was amazed.
So what difference have they made to Brian’s life?They’re amazing, they really are. It’s not just the voices and music, you know the obvious things. Those are great, but it’s the little things that make the real difference. I can’t describe it. The only way I can put it is that the atmosphere feels lighter.
When I walk into a room now, it feels different. It’s like I can sense the room again. I can’t describe it but it’s made a huge difference. There are no surprises any more...
I’m really looking forward to Christmas. We’re busy with family and friends and now I can join in again. After all there’s no point in going out if you can’t join in.
At a table with six or eight of us sitting round, I can follow the conversation, know what’s going on. I’m getting the jokes again, you know. I’m making the jokes again! I feel very lucky in some ways. It would have been easy to have just put it down to getting more anti-social as I got older, but it’s nothing to do with age. Family and friends have always been important to me and they get more so as I get older, not less. With these hearing aids, I can still enjoy them.
And it’s not just Brian who is experiencing the benefitsIt’s great for my wife too. We all complain about the rubbish on the telly but we all watch it don’t we, and now we can watch it together again. Actually she asked me to turn the volume up the other day.