Our experiences are likely quite similar. I've been using hearing technology since the mid 70s and am just a slight bit younger than you are. Also thankful to be healthy other than having lived with progressive hearing loss since the 1960s. My 'grands' are all in their 20s. They are doing some very exciting things that gets the conversation going. They know I don't hear, and do take time to sit with me alone, but when the gang is together it's not so easy. My intent with my original comments was to get some conversation going in the hearing loss group. Let's hope that happens. We know that discussing our unique issues validates the feelings few people who don't have HL understand.

Good luck with the new audiologist. We are having a revolution here in our area of Wisconsin that I suspect is going to happen elsewhere. One of our major medical groups in the state has shut down its entire audiology department. The ENTs are still there, but with the OTC hearing aids coming on the scene, the 'business department' evidently has decided that people will go elsewhere for hearing aids. I personally know 4 audiologists in our area who lost jobs and are now unemployed. Word has it that some of them are joining one of the area's private practices.