I'll have been wearing hearing aids one full year as of next month.

I bring it up now because it was just made abundantly apparent to me how much I depend on them. I took them out to take a shower and (of course...) I got a phone call while I was in the shower.

My wife was trying to relay the message to me and had to speak VERY loudly, almost yelling, before I could hear and understand what she was saying. Some of that was background noise from the shower but even after I got out I had to put them back in to have anything approaching a conversation with her.

God Bless the VA and President Trump for snatching a knot in their skivvies and getting them on the right track!

Did you have to prove your hearing loss was directly service related? My father desperately needs hearing aids and cost is a big factor (along with stubbornness ) keeping him from getting them.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
Did you have to prove your hearing loss was directly service related? My father desperately needs hearing aids and cost is a big factor (along with stubbornness ) keeping him from getting them.

Yes, because I was a dumbass and didn't get evaluated when I retired. Getting it "service connected" 30 years later involved several hoops to jump through but once I actually got to a VA audiologist, it went right through.

I started with the Veteran's Service Officer at the local(ish) VA clinic and he walked me through the entire process. Between VA bureaucracy and COVID, it was a time consuming process, but not especially difficult.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
Did you have to prove your hearing loss was directly service related? My father desperately needs hearing aids and cost is a big factor (along with stubbornness ) keeping him from getting them.

My dad only had to prove he was aboard a construction tender (they pound wooden piling into the seabed). He worked in enginrooms and drove the pile driver on his last ship. It didn’t take too long a process.

When I applied for my hearing aid, I listed my rating/mos as “gunners mate” . When I finally got an appointment-it was no problem. My issue was the pandemic was a great excuse for the already slow footed VA to ramp up its foot dragging. After filing complaints I was seen and given my hearing aid. It’s been very helpful.

The VA gave me hearing aids about 5 years ago without question. I do not wear them but I should.

You really should. The adjustment period takes a little patience, but the payoff is more than worth it!

You might want to go back to the VA and have them adjusted - or if they're the battery type, replaced with rechargeables.

A good deal of his over seas time was spent as a stationary engineer, working with large diesel generators most of the time. So that might be enough, but it could prove problematic for him, his records were among those lost in the big St. Louis fire. I know it's caused he problems with other things in the past.

I'll try to talk him into trying anyway.

My dad is going through the process and worked in large data centers while in the Air Force. There are records of his hearing decline when discharged, so hopefully the process goes smoothly.

Follow the process with the VA. His MOS is an important factor in determination of a service connected disability. If he had jobs after the service that exposed him to high levels of noise that could be problematic.
The VA has become more efficient as of late so that may help as well.

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
A good deal of his over seas time was spent as a stationary engineer, working with large diesel generators most of the time. So that might be enough, but it could prove problematic for him, his records were among those lost in the big St. Louis fire. I know it's caused he problems with other things in the past.

I'll try to talk him into trying anyway.

Tell him to start the process, and be an advocate for himself. If he isn't capable, you can help be an advocate for him. With his situation it may be a bureaucratic pain in the ass, but stick with it. Most people at the VA are great and really want to help but sometimes their hands are tied and you may need to keep pushing.

The care at most VAs is actually very good, and even if he isn't interested in going there for his care at the moment it would be greatly beneficial to get in the system now before he actually NEEDS the care.