Vernon has never considered himself a person with a disability. He is an avid cyclist, has worked in management for a water company for 21 years, and is a proud father and grandfather. When he was first diagnosed with hearing loss 15 years ago, “male vanity”—as he puts it—kept him from addressing the issue for years. In 2010 he purchased his first hearing aids, but years later  his hearing had declined enough that he was missing large chunks of conversation due to background noise at work and at home.

“Prior to getting hearing aids, I would subconsciously avoid settings with a lot of background noise.” 

Referred by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Vernon found that the interest rate was significantly lower than that of a traditional consumer loan and it was cheaper than charging it to his credit card. He also described the monthly payments as very manageable. Despite his initial hesitation about hearing aids, Vernon is grateful to have them and says that they have significantly improved his quality of life and made a drastic difference for him both at work and in his relationships.