Remembrance Day, Veterans, & Hearing Loss

I remember sitting through Remembrance Day services as a young child through my teens. Each year, the idea of people leaving their families and going off to war became less fantasy and more a bittersweet reality. As I matured, the characters I had previously envisioned transformed into real people like me. As I reached the ages of the young men who died fighting, I felt raw emotion. The brevity of their lives pierced my heart. I observed the veterans in attendance at those services. Some teared up; some stood stoically; others, I couldn’t seem to read. There was a solemnity and reverence to those Remembrance Day services and an understanding that I would never be able to fully grasp the enormity of such personal sacrifice. All I could offer was my gratefulness, and that respectful moment of silence each year.

The sounds of war

My hearing loss was essentially due to noise exposure during my military service. I was on an anti-submarine sub-chaser in WWII, and we had lots of depth charges going off all around us. There were plenty of explosions, and they were loud! ~Norm Crosby

Our veterans live with their postwar wounds every day – not once a year. Of the 461,240 Canadians who were counted as Veterans in the 2021 census, many spent their days and nights immersed in the sounds of automatic weapons fire, helicopters, explosions, tanks, sirens…until one day, they returned to the “quiet” of everyday civilian life. They carry emotional, psychological, and physical wounds. Those left with noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus have trouble hearing, which results in them also not being heard. It is easy to become isolated when communication is so difficult, which results in less story sharing – war stories that need to be remembered.

Helpful technology

In 2024, hearing technology makes it possible for veterans with hearing loss to have a better quality of life. Hearing aids and assistive listening devices like pocketalkers and amplified phones significantly change the way veterans communicate.   

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) provides healthcare coverage to veterans, which includes benefits for hearing aids, dispensing and fitting fees for hearing aids, telephone amplifiers, infrared devices, and hearing accessories. They can purchase first and submit for reimbursement or complete an application to be approved within 6 weeks before buying. Deaf & Hear Alberta’s Accessibility Manager can assist with this process or the direct link is here.

Maybe you know a veteran who struggles with hearing loss? As we age, it is usual to lose a certain amount of hearing. However, when this interferes with daily activities or social interactions, it is time to see an audiologist. It is not uncommon for veterans to develop significant hearing loss as they age. Understand that it is frustrating for them but offer them support and solutions. With the right tools and coping strategies, you can look forward to hearing their stories and engaging in conversation about their wartime experiences.

On November 11, 2024, take time to remember our veterans and the challenges they face today as a result of their service.