November 11, 1918 marks the official end of World War I and will forever be a day in which we commemorate and remember the many Veterans who lost their lives in and since World War I. Both World Wars saw the loss of many lives, both civilian and military. Many more were badly injured and still suffer from the consequences to this day. Every year on November 11th, I take the time to think of my grandfather who served in World War II and all of the other brave men and women who have served or currently serve on behalf of our country.
At 15 years old, my grandfather lied about his age in order to sign up for duty. He was shipped overseas shortly thereafter. He saw combat in Italy, France, and England. Many of his friends and fellow soldiers were injured or killed. Like every Veteran, he came home a changed man. He returned from the war with a gunshot wound but no other injuries, or so we thought…
When my grandfather was in his 70s, we discovered he developed hearing loss as a result of noise exposure during the war. His hearing loss began as a gradual decline and we did not realize that he was having difficulty understanding us. He used to say that we all “mumble” too much. He would often withdraw from our conversations and avoid social situations as he grew older. We attributed most of his communication errors to memory issues. It wasn’t until he had a hearing test by an audiologist that it all made sense. My grandfather had a high frequency sensorineural hearing loss. The second leading cause for this type of hearing loss is exposure to loud sounds. It turns out he was missing key frequencies in other people’s voices that made speech sound muffled and unclear. Hearing aids were recommended for him and they significantly improved his ability to participate in our family gatherings and his overall well-being. His hearing aids were fully funded by Veteran’s Affairs Canada because his hearing loss was caused by the noise exposure he incurred during his service years.
Noise-induced hearing loss is difficult to detect because the damage can be caused many years before the effects are noticed. If you are above the age of 60 and haven’t had a hearing test, it’s a good idea to get one, just like every other routine health check-up. If you suspect that you or a loved one might have hearing loss caused by noise exposure, even if it was many years ago, please see a registered audiologist for a complete diagnostic assessment. If you are a Veteran, we can help you with the application process for funding by Veteran’s Affairs Canada. Veteran’s Affairs Canada will provide ongoing support for Veterans experiencing hearing loss as a result of noise exposure during their service years.
On behalf of everyone at Broadmead and Oak Bay Hearing Clinics, thank you to all of the Veterans who have served or are currently serving on behalf of our country.
