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June 11, 2025
Dena came to Michigan Rehabilitation Services (MRS) requesting assistance with supplementing the cost of purchasing hearing aids. In her mid-forties, Dena never felt “old enough” to think she would need hearing aids. She had regularly been seeing an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) doctor, convinced there were additional problems they could not find.
“My hearing tests were borderline for a long time, but the audiologist felt that there was another issue going on, so I was never recommended hearing aids,” shared Dena.
Then Dena started to notice she was consistently asking her students to repeat themselves. As a high school counselor, hearing her students is imperative to her job.
Dena went back to the ENT and was told her hearing was registering so low, she was being recommended hearing aids. The ENT referred Dena to MRS for support with the cost of the hearing aids — and for support keeping her job.
“This was completely game changing for me,” said Dena. “I would not have been able to afford them on my own at this time. I was fitted with a demo pair while I was waiting for my personal pair to come in.”
Dena had been familiar with MRS through the work they do with special education students at her school but was not aware of the support they could provide her with.
“The last three months with my hearing aids have significantly improved my work and home life,” Dena shared. “I don't have to strain and ask students to repeat themselves, and I can talk on my work phone without having to adjust the volume constantly. And a bonus, I can hear my kids again!”