Margaret isn't the type of woman who likes to make a fuss. Sixty-eight years old, retired schoolteacher, still tends her own garden and still shows up early to bowls on Thursdays. So when she tells this story, she tells it the way she tells most things — plainly, without much drama.
"It was my granddaughter, actually. She's seven. She asked me a question at the dinner table and I just smiled and said 'that's nice, love' — which is what you say when you didn't quite catch it and you're hoping it wasn't important. She looked at me a bit funny and said, 'Nana, you always say that.' And that stuck with me."
She says it wasn't one big moment. It was smaller than that — restaurants getting harder to enjoy, the television creeping up in volume until her husband started leaving the room, phone calls where she'd ask people to repeat themselves twice before giving up and pretending she'd heard.
"I wasn't deaf. I want to be clear about that. I just wasn't catching the middle of sentences anymore — especially if there was any noise around. Everyone just sounded a bit further away than they used to."
Like a lot of people her age, Margaret had assumed the next step meant a long wait on an NHS list or a process she didn't fully understand. "A friend of mine went through it a couple of years back. I just filed the whole idea under 'later' — kept telling myself I'd look into it properly next year."
What actually got Margaret moving wasn't a doctor's suggestion — it was her daughter, who'd been reading about how much hearing aid technology has changed in the last few years. Today's devices are a long way from the bulky, whistling aids she remembers her own father wearing — smaller, connected, and built around understanding speech in noisy rooms rather than just amplifying everything.
"She mentioned Starkey — said it was a name she'd actually heard of, which mattered to me. I'm not the type to buy something I've never heard of off the internet. So I looked into booking a proper hearing test instead."
What Margaret Says Actually Mattered to Her
- A real HCPC-registered hearing professional involved, not just a quiz on her phone
- A recognised, established name rather than something unfamiliar
- Devices small enough that she genuinely forgot she had them in by lunchtime
- Options that actually connected to her phone, rather than just amplifying sound
- She could turn the TV back down to a normal volume — her husband's words, not hers
She booked a consultation to explore Starkey's current lineup — including its AI-driven Genesis and Edge ranges, which use onboard processing to help separate speech from background noise rather than just making every sound louder. The styles range from small receiver-in-canal devices to fully custom, practically invisible options that sit deep in the ear canal.
"The hearing professional walked me through the different shapes and sizes first. I hadn't realised how small some of them get now — one option is basically hidden completely. I ended up going with something rechargeable, which suited me because I'm terrible with tiny batteries."
Margaret is careful not to oversell it. "I'm not going to tell you I hear like I'm twenty-five again. That's not what this is." What she does say is that certain everyday moments got noticeably easier — the school pickup line with her granddaughter, ordering at a busy café, hearing her phone ring from the other room instead of missing calls entirely.
She also mentions being able to stream phone calls and the TV directly through her devices via Bluetooth, and using a companion app to make small adjustments herself between check-ins with her hearing professional — something she wasn't expecting from what she still thinks of as "an old person's hearing aid."
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Fitting | In-person consultation with an HCPC-registered hearing professional |
| Technology | AI-driven sound processing (Genesis AI / Edge AI ranges) |
| Styles available | From discreet receiver-in-canal to fully custom in-canal options |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth streaming for calls, music and TV audio |
| Power | Rechargeable options available, no fiddling with tiny batteries |
| Durability | Waterproof options for active, everyday wear |
| Ongoing support | Companion app plus follow-up adjustments with your provider |
Margaret's takeaway, when asked what she'd tell someone in her position a year ago: "Don't wait for someone else to point it out to you the way my granddaughter did. Book the hearing test — it's not the intimidating appointment I built it up to be in my head. It's just a conversation about how you actually live your day."
Eric talks about rediscovering small household sounds he'd stopped noticing — like the crackle of a fire in the next room.
Stacy says wearing her devices has made her feel noticeably more confident in social settings and group conversations.
Bill describes being genuinely satisfied with the value, saying the everyday benefit has made it well worth it for him.
Find Out What's Right for Your Hearing
Leave your details below and we'll point you toward Starkey's free online hearing test — no obligation.
How do hearing aids actually work?
At a basic level, they use a microphone to pick up sound, an amplifier to strengthen the signal, and a receiver that channels it into the ear canal. A rechargeable battery or cell powers the whole process.
How do I know which style is right for me?
It depends on factors like the nature of your hearing loss, your day-to-day lifestyle, your dexterity, and the shape of your ear. A hearing care professional can talk you through the options during a consultation.
Will I need a hearing aid in both ears?
Many people benefit from wearing devices in both ears, especially if hearing loss affects both sides — which is common with age-related changes. Your provider can advise based on your specific hearing profile.
Is there a warranty?
Many UK providers include a warranty of several years as standard, though exact terms vary and are best confirmed directly with your hearing care provider. It's also worth knowing that it can take a few months to fully adjust to wearing hearing aids day to day.