Jerry Reece says his new hearings aids from the Evelyn Hendren Cassat Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at Wichita State University have changed his life. After decades of struggling with hearing problems, a friend finally convinced him to seek help.

“She told me that hearing problems are very common and the specialists at the clinic would be able to improve my quality of life,” he says. “She was absolutely right, and my only regret is that I didn’t go sooner.”

Reece attributes his hearing problems to being around loud tractors on his family farm and high-powered rifles during his military service. As a child he experienced earaches and drainage connected to inner ear problems.

He put off getting hearing aids for decades because they were bulky and he wanted to avoid the handicap stigma associated with wearing them. The turning point was when he noticed not being able to hear his beloved granddaughter when she spoke to him. He immediately began doing research on hearing aids, focusing his priorities on eliminating tinnitus and background noise and being able to hear soft and high pitched noises.

With the help of clinic staff, Reece decided on the Oticon Opn hearing aids. These groundbreaking hearing aids have technology that is fast and precise enough to process sound more efficiently and differentiate between speech and noise. The result is a clear sound, allowing patients to hear speech clarity and multiple speakers simultaneously. They are also the world’s first internet-connected hearing aid, allowing connectivity with smart devices such as TVs, phones, doorbells, coffee pots, smoke detectors and more. The Oticon Opn hearing aids won two Consumer Technology Association CES Innovation Awards and have received high acclaim from media and consumers.

Reece says he couldn’t be happier with his decision. The hearing aids are small, comfortable and inconspicuous. He says the world is full of sounds he’s never heard before, such as individual voices in a crowd and the dings and beeps in his car. 

“I can’t believe how many noises in the world I haven’t heard until now,” he says. “I also realized how much I used to depend on my wife and loved ones to translate for me.”

He says being able to hear is wonderful, but the most important change has been his emotional transformation. Being able to hear new sounds has opened up a whole new world and outlook on life.

“My anxiety level has gone way down,” he says. “I was becoming very socially withdrawn and it was affecting my emotional well-being.”

Reece wants other people suffering from hearing problems to know they don’t have to just live with it. There are options available that can make a huge difference and are worth every penny.

“I don’t know what price tag you can put on these,” he says. “I don’t think there is one.”

In regards to the students and staff at the clinic, Reece says everyone was extremely helpful and enjoyable to work with.

“They made me feel very comfortable and I couldn’t have had a better experience,” he says. “Visiting the clinic was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

The clinic also repairs and services most makes and models of hearing aids, regardless of where they were purchased. Visit their website for more information about the variety of services offered.