Empowering Veterans One Sound at a Time: A Veteran’s Mission to Support Fellow Comrades with Hearing Aids
“The best part of audiology is when you witness a person being able to hear for the first time in years,” said Tiley. “A lot of Veterans do not know hearing aids are free too, if they qualify.”
In 2023, the most common recognized service-connected disability for Veterans was tinnitus and the second common is hearing loss. Almost 3,000,000 Veterans had tinnitus and 1,500,000 suffer from hearing loss.
When U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran Richard John Tiley’s wife passed away in 2022 from cancer, Tiley found himself dedicating much of his time bringing Veterans to the Wilmington VA Medical Center for health care services. Most of these Veterans needed to see the Audiology Department for assistive listening devices or hearing aids.
Audiology providers at the Wilmington VA are trained in hearing evaluations, hearing aid fitting and repair, assessment of auditory processing disorders, vestibular assessment and tinnitus management. They work closely with hearing aid manufacturers to ensure Veterans have access to the latest technology and can obtain and maintain their assistive devices.
“The best part of audiology is when you witness a person being able to hear for the first time in years,” said Tiley. “A lot of Veterans do not know hearing aids are free too, if they qualify.”
To keep himself busy while he grieved, Tiley worked on a masonry farm. Veterans would come to the farm hard of hearing.
“I ask anyone that is having problems hearing if they served,” said Tiley.
Tiley found many Veterans this way, including an 83-year-old Veteran who could barely hear. Through the VA, he got his hearing aids within a month. Another Veteran Tiley found was denied VA health care 30 years ago but when he reapplied qualified for healthcare. He brought these Veterans to the Wilmington VA to get signed up for care and then to be seen by the Audiology team.
The Wilmington Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology is home to seven Audiologists, two Audiology Technicians, and one Speech-Language Pathologist. This team works together to ensure that Veterans have the tools they need to communicate effectively, participate fully in their healthcare, enjoy fulfilling social lives and achieve their professional goals.
“Because of the VA I am alive because of the care I was given,” said Tiley as he smiled. “I am a happy camper. These guys don’t get it. The VA is better care than they can get anywhere else.”
Tiley contacted his provider about hearing aids in 2021 through a web-based platform: My HealtheVet. Audiologist Kelly Flaherty recommended an appointment to have his hearing re-evaluated and to discuss any concerns.
“I’m here to provide the best care possible,” said Dr. Flaherty. “I want my patients to be heard, leave each time more knowledgeable than the next and are afforded the opportunity of improving their hearing healthcare. As an Audiologist, there are a multitude of career opportunities where I can make a difference in an individual’s life. It’s that passion that made me chose the VA.”
At a young age, Flaherty was exposed to the deaf community which inspired her to learn Sign Language and led to her interest in the Audiology field.
“She has a very pleasant disposition,” said Tiley. “She knows what she is doing. These are the best hearing aids I’ve ever had here.”
Tiley explains that some Veterans refuse care because they are scared to ‘take away’ care from other Veterans.
“Using your benefits helps me,” said Tiley to his fellow Veterans. “It doesn’t hurt me or take care away from others. We must stick together.”
In 2023, more than 4,000 hearing aids have been ordered through the Wilmington VA and 2,160 new Veterans have been seen. New policies have been added to open care to different Veterans that might have been denied care in the past.
One of the newest additions is the PACT Act that expands VA health care and benefits for Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances. This law helps provide generations of Veterans—and their survivors—with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve.
“I get excellent service, there is none better anywhere,” said Tiley. “I love the VA and want to help as much as I can. I’m no hero. When you do something good for someone else it makes you feel good.”
Wilmington VA Speech-Language Pathologists serve at the Wilmington VAMC, Dover Clinic, and Vineland Clinic, in addition to tele-audiology services at the Georgetown, Cape May, and Northfield Clinics.
Register for care here or call 1-800-461-8262 extension 5252 to contact Audiology and Speech.