After years of struggling in silence, a Bracebridge resident, Tracey Thibault, is finally experiencing the sounds of everyday life again, thanks to Hear Well Be Well and Beltone Canada.
For years, hearing loss had quietly reshaped Tracey’s life, eroding the ease of everyday communication. “It was work, messages, people’s names, phone numbers—everything was difficult to hear,” she shared. “Even my partner, I had to keep saying, ‘Pardon, pardon,’ and it started to get frustrating for both of us.”
The turning point came about two years ago, when her symptoms, including tinnitus, became overwhelming. “It was like the ringing went through the roof. Then I realized I wasn’t really hearing much out of either ear. That’s when I started to piece together how much I’d been missing.”
Living rurally, far from her friends and social spaces, the isolation compounded. “We live in the bush, and my friends are in the city. The last time I went to a concert with my boss, it was so loud and overwhelming. Some things I could hear, some things I couldn’t. It’s exhausting.”
The emotional weight of hearing loss extended to daily stress and social anxiety. “I stopped answering the phone. It was too embarrassing and stressful to keep asking people to repeat themselves,” Tracey explained. “You start saying, ‘Sorry, I need a hearing aid,’ just so people will understand.”
That’s when the Gift of Hearing program stepped in. Recommended by her clinic, she applied—initially hesitant and unsure whether she qualified. “I didn’t even know there was such a program. I thought I’d have to find the money myself. But the cost is overwhelming. Then I saw the application and just decided to try.”
“Hearing loss isn’t just a senior issue. People of all ages can have hearing loss. When you compare how you’re hearing now with how you heard in your teenage years, it’s safe to say everyone has some hearing loss.” Says Kathleen Tiede owner of Hear Well Be Well
Now, with her new hearing aids, Tracey looks forward to reclaiming parts of life that had faded. “Mostly, I want to hear the quiet again. Right now, it’s just ringing. I miss the little sounds—the trees, the wind. The big sounds you can figure out, but it’s the little ones that mean the most.”
Her loved ones are just as excited. “My friends and my mom are thrilled for me. I’m always saying ‘pardon,’ so I’m sure they’ll be happy not to repeat themselves anymore.”
To others considering the Gift of Hearing program, she has a clear message: “Please do it. It’s amazing. If hearing aids feel out of reach financially, this program gives you a real chance. It changes everything.
