| When I was young, we dreaded the visits of my | | | | capability of amplifying soft sounds. If Aunt Julia was |
| Great-aunt Julia. She would sit on the sofa, prim and | | | | concerned about appearances (although the support |
| proper, with her orthopedic shoes flat on the floor, her | | | | hose might belie that notion), she would have quite the |
| heavy support hose camouflaging whatever part of | | | | array of choices there, too. |
| her legs showed beneath her floral dress, her waist | | | | The hearing aids East Sussex doctors might prescribe |
| thickened under that dress because of the money belt | | | | could range from a traditional behind-the-ear instrument |
| she always wore, and her white hair wound in braids | | | | to a virtually invisible one deep inside the ear canal. |
| close to her head. We children would be expected to | | | | Known as a “completely in the canal” (CIC) |
| sit primly as well, politely attempting to hold a | | | | hearing aid, this instrument helps reduce the |
| conversation with her while our mother prepared a | | | | wearer’s impression of talking in a barrel. It would |
| meal. The conversation was made particularly difficult | | | | also have helped save the ears of us children, since |
| since Aunt Julia was fairly deaf. She wore a hearing | | | | using a CIC reduces that lovely squealing feedback |
| aid, but her head would have to be turned just so | | | | noise. |
| towards the speaker. We would have to repeat | | | | Yes, Aunt Julia would have been amazed and |
| ourselves frequently and wince at the screech of | | | | delighted at the advances she could have enjoyed in |
| feedback when she would turn it up too far. | | | | today’s hearing aids. Perhaps when I’m an |
| Too bad Aunt Julia didn’t live long enough to | | | | elderly aunt myself, I can remember and be |
| appreciate the advances in hearing aids today. If she | | | | understanding with my great-nieces and –nephews. |
| were looking today at the hearing aids South Yorkshire | | | | My hearing aids from my East Sussex doctor will be |
| audiologists have available, she would be amazed. No | | | | so subtle that my young relatives won’t even |
| longer would she have to tilt her head, as she might | | | | know I need them. This, of course, will give them less |
| choose a programmable device with separate | | | | to laugh about. If I can just remember never to wear |
| channels set to enhance different frequencies or the | | | | orthopedic shoes. . . |