I’ve been in the VA system since 2004 and have been getting hearing aids from them since about 2013. Top of the line hearing aids and great service from the audiologists. Better than I got on the outside. My only complaint is that the wait time to get in to see the audiologists can be quite long at times where I’m at.
2 Likes
I have been with the VA since 2004 and been getting my aids from the VA since 2005.
1 Like
I’m using VA HA’s and have nothing but positive things to say about my experiences there.
2 Likes
Just to add to the many positive reviews, my opinion is they perform a very valuable service, with one caveat, at least in Long Beach, CA.
That is their intense preference for Phonak.
They are not well versed on Oticon, but they are more than willing to ring up the Oticon support team for answers, and I even had an in-person adjustment session with a Oticon rep a couple years ago attempting to make MYMusic sound like Music.
Unfortunately, they were not very successful, but they tried.
3 Likes
Yeah @flashb1024, a lot of that might be down to the price of the procurement of aids, Phonak tends to be slightly cheaper than Oticon, and Phonak are the number one best sellers of hearing aids worldwide, also training might be a sticking point, it’s easier for the VA to specialise on one specific manufacturer, the training obviously double’s if you have 2…In the UK, most NHS Audioligist use Phonak or Oticon, they might use other manufacturers, probably out of catalog, but basically Phonak or Oticon are the weapons of choice… Cheers Kev 
1 Like
My little clinic here in Arkansas has 3 audiologist now. My audiologist is also a professor of audiology and the 2 others are his past students. They are more than willing to get what ever aids we want. My audiologist has spent many hours on the phone with Oticon for my hearing aid adjustments. Oticon even came to the clinic with two of its in house audiologist/engineers, one hardware and one software to deal with issues I was having. That was during a 18 month period of time that I had 14 or 15 appointments to get my hearing needs figured out. I have also monitored his classes and been case study for his graduate students. This area is a retirement area. Not as big as the Villages in Florida but still large. And the VA clinics here are Community Care clinics.
3 Likes
As you will be acutely aware Chuck…There is no substitute for experience, training only gives you a starting point, hands on is where folks actually learn, I have known many highly qualified Audiologists, but some of them, struggled badly with software, my present Audiologist is a wizard on the keyboard, lightning quick, her hands moving so fast, it’s a bit of a blur! Phonak is her specialty, and she knows Target software inside out, every new Phonak aids that come on the market, then my A.uD will receive a training update on these, it is a constant learning curve… The VA is a massive organisation, training all their A.uD’s will be a very challenging proposition, hence why they probably specialise on one particular manufacturer… And they call in the Reps, if someone should choose a different manufacturers aids. Now, I have a fairly hefty loss, my first fit, was my last fit, in November 2023, no further adjustments were required on my Naida Lumity 90 UP’s, she had them set up before I walked into her office, she ran feedback management in situ, asked “how does that sound”? I asked her to switch to NAL NL2, and we were good to go, probably took 10 minutes tops, and the aids haven’t been altered since then, they are by a country mile, the best aids I have ever used! I reiterate, there is no substitute for experience, and the skill of an Audiologist around the software, is the key… Cheers Kev
1 Like
@kevels55
Hands on is to me just one fact of the equation as is book learning. I have had to unfortunately work with some "Highly Educated " that were usless at actually doing any real work. I have had “uneducated” that were genuses at doing any job. I myself, raise on the farm am very hands-on, but I have learned over my life time that book knowledge is also greatly important, be it on my own or setting in a classroom or one on one training. I have even been a classroom instructor when needed. I do not have a college degree, never seen the need. I do have close to 600 college credits some earned in the classroom some earned by testing out or proof of knowledge. The Navy taught me and showed me that I am a natural born troubleshooter. I have studied and still do study what ever interests me. My credits are in everything from computer science, electrical engineering, theology, audiology, history, literature, and now art. I read over 115 books each year. My grandmother taugh me to read, her book of choice was the King James Bible. By the time I had started first grade I had read the whole Bible front to back. I continue that today. Each year of my life I read the whole Bible. I prefer now days the New King James. But I have read ever English version of the Bible. I also am a big believer in natural healing as my great grandmother, grandmother and so may ancestors are Native American. I guess that at least partly makes me one seeing I am told that my bloodline is 20% Apache.
2 Likes
Yeah Chuck, years ago, I drank on a regular basis with 5 University Lecturers, not 1 ounce of common sense between them, and 2 left feet on either hand, totally void of any form of dexterity, that lot would have extreme difficulty changing a lightbulb 
As for the Bible, I read it many times growing up, the scriptures are still very familiar to me, and occasionally I still quote them, but I renounced my faith at around 12 years of age, I couldn’t come to terms with the hypocrisy of Christianity, it’s too easy to be forgiven your sins, in my book, if you are a Christian, you shouldn’t commit the sins in the first place… I have several friends whom are devout Christians, I respect them deeply, but I want nothing to do with their religion! I try to live my life the “Middle Way”, not too good, and not too bad, I like to think, I follow the way of the Buddha, in truth, we humans will always make mistakes, and usually recurring ones, at times we seem to have difficulty in learning by our mistakes, and history tells us we are not alone in this department… Cheers Kev 
1 Like
I know what you mean about Christianity, but I soully believe in Jesus Christ, the Word of God, The Bible. I don’t believe in what man has turned the Worship of God into. I don’t believe in religion as it is defined to day or at any other time. I believe only in God’s Word. It you trust any humans definition of what is right you fell to understand the truth. You can find as mine definitions for Christianity as their are humans. My key is my walk and communications with God. That KEY is the Jesus’s Commendment of LOVE. Love everyone including your enemies, which is very hard to do. Not to judge is another key. If everyone undtlerstood what that true meaning was and followed the 10 Commandments there would be no need for any other laws are rules and no need for governments either.
4 Likes
I used to work for the VA. I am hearing impaired/deaf. VA offers some of the best HA’s and best Augiologists in the world. Go for it. Fabulous service, if you can get in and if the VA is able to offer such things or serve veterans at all after the last couple of weeks.
4 Likes
Actually VERY FEW civil servants are taking the FORK in the ROAD offer from the foreign national who signed it.
1 Like
Musk is an American Citizen. He naturalized in 2002.
And I know at least three civil servants taking the option. Maybe more I just haven’t heard from yet.
WH
2 Likes
And I know some that I wished that would. 4 that are as usless as you know what on a boar hog.
2 Likes
Yeah Lizzy, my opinion of Elon wouldn’t be complementary, so I will leave it at that… Suffice to say, it only starts arguments on here… Cheers Kev
I don’t understand this discussion or all the opinions expressed. But I will put my two cents in. My VA audiology experience has been far better than my private practice experience, where I started. My community clinical optometrist experience has been far more thorough and professional than my private sector optometrist experience, and I look forward to saying the same with my cataract treatment. These federal employees are competent, extremely caring and responsive. There may be some workers just hanging on and not caring, but I have not encountered any of them. Trump and Musk are trying to destroy government institutions and attacking all civil servants. I hope voters comprehend the harmful effects of this.
2 Likes
I agree, at the clinics I go to and have used in the past the majority or veterans themselves or relatives of veterans. I have better treatment and experience with the VA clinics than I have had from the private sector. The VA clinics don’t push unneeded drugs down us like the private clinics do. But with that said the VA clinics having skimped on services or needed drugs, or extras. I have macular degeneration as well as severe hearing loss. My eye doctors, yes multiple, are doing everything possible. And I have been provided help in the way of multiple pairs of glasses for different usages, magnifying lamps and table lamps for my art table. I love art and reading. And for my hearing loss I have been provided every imaginable extra devices for my hearing and also therapy to help with word recognition. I also have blood pressure issues and have had since my last 4 years in the service.
2 Likes
Chuck, my mom had MD and she went through the Braille Institute, and was given a Video Magnifier which enabled her to place reading material, or items on a mirrored surface, and the magnifier was a high res LCD monitor that was excellent.
I just came across this: CCTVs/Video Magnifiers | American Foundation for the Blind
Hope it’s helpful!
3 Likes
So far my MD is dry and the progression is very slow. My doctors put me on a program of supplements about 15 years ago and it has greatly slowed the progression of the disease. I have just started a new program of supplements that was suggested by a friend that has had great results. It is an all natural set of ingredients that are said to increase the body’s own adult stem cells to aid in healing. It isn’t stem cell therapy by any means. My wife has had the injections to target her back pain and that has really helped. But the side effects has also been positive for her eyesight, brain fog, and even sinuses. That treatment is outrageously expensive. The natural supplements are much cheaper, I have on it only 5 days and maybe it is the placebo effect but things seem brighter.
2 Likes
I am 78 and got belated 60% disability for hearing loss and tinnitus two years ago. Audiology service has been very good. I got Phonak hearing aids which I would rate as fair for conversation and very good for TV and wearable microphone reception.
2 Likes