reply to both tony and ken: It isn't just the training of hearing specialists that is done poorly: people pay megabucks for a college education, but often the instructors don't really teach what needs to be learned. When my daughter was a sophomore, majoring in health care, she was required to take at least one communication class. She found herself in a class of juniors, all communication majors...and they wound up asking her to write everything because none of them were able to write coherently! Imagine: juniors in communication who weren't able to summarize their project on paper!
This isn't just something new, either: I've had a half-dozen graphics interns and grads over the years, and none of them knew how to size a photo, not even the ones who had just completed four years of graphics study at a major college! None of them had ever been handed "real world" assignments. Instead, they were given greeked type (i.e., meaningless, use as much as you need to fill any space) and some images to place on two blank pages. No difficulties, like having to fit ALL the copy in plus at least one image, or, worse, fit in all the copy and an image PLUS a couple of ads! That's the real world of magazine publishing! None of them were lazy or stupid, just not taught anything really useful. The concept that a publication, be it a magazine, book, or flyer, may only have certain pages where color is possible was entirely new to them. Think about all the books printed of "soft" paper with an 8- or 16-page insert of photo pages on slick paper.
I think it's flat criminal that so many people spend lots of money and four years of their lives, but really don't get the tools they need to be successful in their chosen profession. It's usually up to some old grayhead to give them a crash course in how to do the work! I've learned everything by the seat of my britches, but I know technical stuff that simply isn't taught anywhere, at least that I'm aware of. I'm sure it's the same with hearing professionals, whether they're audis or fitters. I think that's why the fitter I work with knows more than any of the audis I've been too: just a desire to learn more and the stubborness to find answers. Cranky, aren't I?

@ Toni, Ken82, & Joyces: The strange pandemic times we're living in right now have definitely changed the landscape. I guess a lot will depend on how well, we as individuals are able to adjust, along with how long it will take to get back to whatever 'normal' will be. Many HH people I know through our local HLAA chapter, are terribly frustrated due to problems with their personal equipment. The only saving grace is that they are not going out in public, so they are mostly in settings where they can control the noise factor. it's not quite as frustrating than having to deal with the ambient background noise caused by reverberation, etc. in public and social settings.

I, myself, have had problems with my cochlear processor shorting out. I've taken the measures to replace the removable parts, but am still having problems. I decided this weekend that I will drive to the CI center in Milwaukee to get this repaired. I hope they will take me. They actually did offer to send me a computer that could test the processor and let them know what to fix and how to fix it, but no guarantees it will be fixed. We shall see what happens. My husband and I are going out to settings we feel are safe, but not to major events. Driving 100 miles south to a large hospital/CI center is somewhat 'major'

Ken82, I strongly suggest you tell the people at your clinic that they should install a counter loop in their office. All audiologists and hearing aid fitters should also install a hearing loop in their waiting room. They should connect it to a sound source so people can learn how to use telecoils, AND they should promote those telecoils in all the hearing aids they sell. It's an injustice not to. A telecoil ads virtually nothing to the cost of a hearing aid. BlueTooth adds over $1000. It's good to have both, but were I to choose one over the other, I'd go for the telecoils. Why? because I know how to use them in many ways, whether it's at home on the computer, listening to music on the radio, attending a concert or play, using my iPhone, or socializing in a noisy restaurant. I did not learn how to do these things from my audiologist. I learned from other hard of hearing people I've met through HLAA. And, in spite of the pandemic, I continue to learn via the Zoom conferences that HLAA is holding all over the country. I fear that way too many people are just giving up. How depressing!

On the other hand, I think positive about the end of the pandemic and believe that all the things we cannot do now will once again be a part of our lives. They will come back. The key to many of them is being able to get workers to take the jobs we've always taken for granted. Grocery baggers, wait staff, and a whole lot more. As long as they are not making more money collecting welfare and unemployment they will be back. (This coming from a retired educator/social worker LOL.)