CRESTLINE — In the parking lot of the Mansfield Beltone Hearing Care Center, Megan Conley grinned from ear to ear as she listened to her favorite band, Arctic Monkeys, with clarity for the first time in years.

The 27-year-old Conley had just been fitted for her first pair of hearing aids. This model of Beltone hearing aids not only amplifies voices and sound in the environment around the wearer but can also be used to stream music, much like a pair of earbuds or headphones.

For Conley, who noted that her hearing impairment has affected her ability to enjoy music, this feature was one she was looking forward to.

Though she has had a mild hearing impairment for most of her life, she has noticed a significant decline in both ears for the past five years.  

At the suggestion of her aunt, Barbra Neal, who wears hearing aids, Conley wrote a letter to Beltone, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, that donates hearing aids to those who are in need and unable to access them.

In her letter, Conley explained how her impairment has affected her everyday life and asked for financial assistance from the organization.

“I often have to attend staff meetings with individuals, and I tend to ask not only clients, but staff as well, to repeat themselves because they happen to be at the far end of the table. For most people it isn’t a problem, but by the time I have asked them to repeat themselves two or three times, naturally, you can see the frustration,” Conley wrote.

In her letter Conley also noted that despite working full-time, she could not afford the insurance offered by her employer. However, even if Conley did have insurance it is unlikely that a standard health plan would cover hearing aids.

Her experience with Beltone this year is not the first time that she has sought hearing care.

“I went to a care center a few years ago and they told me basically the insurance I had at the time wouldn’t cover any of it. For the cheapest pair I was expected to come up with $1,000 right away and then $1,000 more in six months. It just wasn’t possible,” Conley said.

According to a 2017 report from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, only 20 states mandate that insurance companies provide assistance in some capacity for hearing aids. Ohio is not one of those states.

“Hearing aids are often considered ‘elective’ by insurance companies or even ‘cosmetic,’ which is even more offensive,” said Beltone Hearing Instrument Specialist JoBeth Finnegan.

In Conley’s case, and in the cases of the millions of Americans who have hearing impairments, hearing aids can significantly improve their quality of life both in the short term and long term.

“There’s all kinds of research coming out about how hearing loss affects your brain. The longer it is left untreated, the more strain it puts on cognitive functions, this has been shown to lead to dementia and Alzheimer’s,” Finnegan said.

On a positive note, Finnegan said with the growing levels of awareness and research, hearing specialists are seeing more and more insurance companies add hearing care to their plans. She hopes this means more people are able to get the care they deserve.

“It shouldn’t be a struggle to help someone hear. They make it seem like a luxury to have something that most everyone else has,” Conley said.

Finnegan noted that quality hearing care is not just about fitting individuals with hearing aids but also coaching them through the process.

As Finnegan placed the hearing aids in Conley’s ear for the first time, she showed her how to adjust the sound levels on her phone, a feature that comes with Beltone’s Bluetooth hearing aids.

She told Conley that over time they may raise the audio levels on her devices, but she will need to take time to adjust to hearing more sound, as for many people the transition can be overwhelming.

“Everyone else sounds clear but my own voice sounds a little weird,” Conley remarked.

According to Finnegan, this is common for many people who have hearing impairments. While hearing aids do not restore hearing completely, they do help individuals immensely when it comes to communication.

Conley noted she is looking forward to being able to have conversations with her friends, family, co-workers and clients without the frustration and confusion of not being able to hear.