Local Lions Clubs assist families with glasses and hearing aid needs

Many never had it to begin with. Where can local people with essential needs like prescription eyewear or hearing aids turn to get the assistance they need that can make all the difference in effective daily functioning at home, at school or at work? The Lions Clubs of District 20-Y2 serving New York State's Capital District and Eastern Leatherstocking Region has been providing life-altering intervention by arranging for glasses and hearing aids for income eligible area residents for many years and is eager to help.

Local chapters of the Lions Club International include those in Saratoga Springs, Ballston Spa, Greenfield, and Glens Falls. Susan Hayes, CST, C.E.B.T. is the Director of Donor Services and the Coroner/Medical Examiner Liaison for the Sight Society of Northeastern New York, Inc. Lions Eye Bank in Albany, as well as serving as the 2009 Sight Chairman of the Ballston Spa Lions Club.  Hayes says that families and individuals do not have to suffer in silence if, for example, they discover a school-aged child of any age needs glasses to keep up with their studies at school. "We have seen an increase in applications this year in the organization in Ballston; our Lions Club works with school nurses who are on the front lines with kids at school because they administer vision and basic hearing exams. Upon their recommendation, we issue discount coupons to children in need that come at a cost of $50 to us but are worth $100 to the families that can be applied toward the cost of a pair of glasses. The nurse will fill out an application with the parents and begin the process."

Applicants of all ages arrange a vision exam and apply the coupon to new glasses.
Hayes works closely with Hearing Chairman Harry Petersen, also of the Ballston Spa Lions Club.

 "We work in concert with LensCrafters in the eyeglasses program and have helped with glasses for applicants of all ages. We have seen infants and small children who needed help."

United States Lions are providing high-quality, low-cost hearing aids to hearing-impaired people of limited income through the Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project (Lions AHAP). Currently, Lions AHAP is offering for sale two hearing aids to Lions clubs and Lions hearing programs through a partnership with Rexton, Inc., a hearing aid manufacturer in Plymouth, Minnesota.

There are two affordable hearing aids. The Targa 3P hearing aid is for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, and is a digital hearing aid worn behind the ear. The Targa 3HP hearing aid is for profound hearing loss and is also a digital hearing aid worn behind the ear. Each hearing aid costs $200 plus shipping which does not include the provision of hearing tests, hearing aid fittings and people with severe to ear molds. Lions have purchased 590 Rexton hearing aids.

Lions Clubs initiate assistance by deciding an individual's eligibility based on income criteria. A partnership with a hearing care professional is necessary to fulfill the request. The hearing care professional conducts the hearing tests and orders the ear molds. The Lions order the hearing aids from Lions AHAP and the hearing aids are shipped to the hearing care professionals that program them for the recipient and provide follow-up care.

Lions Clubs interested in the program often struggle to pay for the hearing tests, fittings, and follow-up visits. To address this we are pleased to announce HearUSA, in a partnership with Lions AHAP, is now providing hearing aid services at a significantly reduced rate to Lions clubs in ten states.

When it comes to hearing aids, Petersen says that often senior citizens can be self conscious about wearing an aid.

 "We refer people to a certified audiologist for testing and go from there. Many times people are scared off because they hear about the expensive, high end hearing aids that cost thousands of dollars each. We find that many can be helped with good basic hearing aids that only cost $600-$800. It can make a world of difference."

Petersen says it is crucial that children with hearing issues are helped as early in life as possible so their speech is not affected.

"When we hear a person speak with what might be called a "mislanguage," it is because that is how they are hearing tones and other speaking to them. We like to have people come and apply as soon as possible, particularly in the case of children, so we can help to intervene early in life."

Saratoga Lions Club President Grady C Aronstamm says

 "Anyone with a real financial need can come to fill out an application for assistance by contacting any local branch of the Lions Club at the office of Saratoga Speech and Hearing located at 414 Maple Avenue in Saratoga Springs, or at the Hearing Shop within the Wilton Medical Arts building on Route 50 at Exit 15."

Hayes, Petersen and Aronstamm invite all those who might benefit from the Lions Clubs' glasses and hearing aid programs to come forward to apply.

In addition, throughout the year, eyeglasses and hearing aids that are no longer being used are collected by the Saratoga Springs, Ballston and Greenfield Lions Clubs and sent overseas to Lions International sight clinics. After a vision test, each patient receives prescription-appropriate lenses and frames at no cost. The goal: to improve lives through good vision and to prevent blindness.

For further information on either the Lions Affordable Hearing Aid Project or to apply for assistance through the Lions Club for glasses for yourself or a member of your family,
Call Susan Hayes, Director of Donor Services at the Lions Eye Bank at Albany at (518) 489-7606; Ballston Spa Lions Club Hearing Chairman Harry Petersen at (518) 885-9313, or Saratoga Lions Club President Grady C Aronstamm at (518) 587-3675.  The Lions Clubs of District 20-Y2 web address is http://20y2lions.org/20Y2/Clubs.htm