When you volunteer for something you wonder what you are letting yourself in for and why do it.

Having been a hearing aid user for over 20 years and working full time, I come across people from all walks of life who for whatever reason will not admit to having a hearing problem. Little do they know the difference a hearing aid can make to their lives.

My late mother in law also took on this role, for she was one of those people who had a hearing aid but could not get used to the idea of wearing it. She complained that it whistled and sometimes things were too loud in certain areas in the nursing home where she lived.

She had a number of friends in the home that also wore aids and had problems and would ask me to help them change batteries, and how I coped.

So when the volunteer project came up I felt it could be a great opportunity to be able to go and maybe help people who were experiencing problems with their aids, and pass on tips for getting the best use out of the aid.

Hearing is a great gift to have and when we lose it or partiality lose it, it can change our whole lives. To volunteer for a project like this can be a big help to many people who have been wearing an aid for years, or for first-time hearing aid users. They really appreciate a visit from a person who understands what they are experiencing, offers some guidance on how to get the best use of their aid and encourages them to wear the aid at all times.

The rewards for the volunteer can be the knowledge that they may have helped someone who for years has felt left out of many things because of their hearing loss and can now be a part of everyday life that many take for granted.

In closing I would like to say thank you to the excellent staff at the audiology department in our area for their assistance and to Mariette and Julie for setting up the scheme.