Mia Hoffman
Westerville, OH
“You should definitely get hearing aids because they can make things easier for you.”
How and when did you first realize you were experiencing hearing loss?
I was two or three when they first realized I had hearing loss. I had lost all my language skills and wouldn’t even respond to a pot banged behind my head.
Where did you first go for information or help? Why?
I think my family went to the local children’s hospital first.
Based on your experience, do you have suggestions for others on how and where to start? Any other important things for them to consider?
I recommend getting hearing aids as soon as possible and meeting other people who are hard of hearing.
What was your biggest concern about hearing aids? Did that turn out to be true?
My biggest concern about hearing aids when I was growing up is that people would say something about them. Kids generally are more verbal about hearing aids and will point them out. In high school, I started to own my hearing aids and decked them out. Then people noticed them because they looked cool. The more fun I had with my hearing aids the more comfortable I was with them.
How have hearing aids changed your life? How do they help you at your job, in your hobbies or at volunteer activities?
Hearing aids have changed my life because they make being in a classroom or at work a lot less stressful. I still face challenges with keeping my hearing aids in my ears while playing sports, but generally I have found them to be very helpful. Once, I was volunteering and even convinced the kids that I was an elf and my hearing aids were disguising my elf ears.
What would you tell someone who is considering hearing aids?
You should definitely get hearing aids because they can make things easier for you. You don’t have to be as reliant on your friends when you go out to dinner. Getting hearing aids allowed me to have better access to what my professors and teachers were hearing in school. And don’t worry about what others will think, most people don’t notice them.
Which ReSound Hearing Aid(s) do you have?
ReSound LiNX2