Hearing Aid Recycling At Hearing Solutions
Juana Montes P, shown above painting a piece inspired by hearing loss, received a wheelchair from Purinapaqs mission in Peru and her father received hearing aids. Photo: Jose Orozco
At Hearing Solutions we believe in hearing with a heart. So when patients have old hearing aids they no longer need for whatever reason, were happy to take them. Through our partnership with an organization called Purinapaq, those generous donations provide the gift of hearing for those who cant afford to buy them.
Donations can be made anytime at any one of our clinics across the Greater Toronto Area.
Donate Hearing Aids To Lions Club
To donate your hearing aids to Lions Club, either mail in or wrap your hearing aid and drop off at a library, senior center, audiologist, or optometrist center if they have a Lions Club donation bin. If you are mailing in your hearing aids, you can send them to your local Lions Club. Your recycled hearing aids will go to someone who would not be able to afford them otherwise.
Many Places Will Repurpose Or Recycle Hearing Aids Eyeglasses Wheelchairs Canes And Other Devices Used By The Elderly
Question: Where are some good places to donate old hearing aids, eyeglasses and mobility equipment? My uncle passed away a few months ago and left behind a bunch of useful aids that could surely help someone else.
Answer: Donating old, unused assistive living aids and/or medical equipment is a great way to help those in need who cant afford it, and in most cases its tax deductible too. Here are some good places to check into.
Hearing Aids
There are several national nonprofit service organizations that offer hearing aid recycling programs. Hearing aids that are donated are usually refurbished and either redistributed to those in need, or resold with the proceeds going to buy new hearing aids for people who cant afford them.
One of the most popular places to donate old hearing aids, as well as hearing aid parts or other assistive listening devices is the Starkey Hearing Foundation Hear Now recycling program , which collects around 60,000 hearing aids a year. Hearing aids and other listening devices should be sent to: Starkey Hearing Foundation, ATTN: Hearing Aid Recycling, 6700 Washington Avenue South, Eden Prairie, MN 55344.
Some other good nonprofits to donate to are the Lions Club Hearing Aid Recycling Program , and Hearing Charities of America , which is founded by Sertoma, a civic service organization dedicated to hearing health.
Eyeglasses
New Eyes is another not-for-profit organization that collects unused eyeglasses and distributes them abroad to people in need.
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When To Donate Hearing Aids
One of the most important aspects of donating hearing aids is the timing. For instance, these devices are not cheap whatsoever. The process of acquiring them isnt cheap either. Most private insurances do not cover the majority of hearing aid costs certain public services like Medicare and Medicaid simply do not cover any part of the process.
So how does it make sense to donate such expensive and involved pieces of technology? Well, to be honest, there are multiple times when this may be appropriate. Most hearing aids have a lifespan of around six to eight years, and this can typically be a software issue more than a hardware issue.
For instance, if you are in need of upgrading your hearing aids to stay with a certain level of performance or even making a jump from analog to digital, youll have an old set of hearing aids on your hands. This is a great time to donate. Another reality could be a change in your hearing loss that makes your current hearing aids obsolete.
There are also instances when by chance, you have hearing aids from past friends or family members. While true, its not often that you will have to make the decision to throw away your hearing aids or donate them the fact of the matter is that needing to replace or opt for a new hearing aid isnt uncommon. When that situation arises, donating your hearing aids can impact someone else in a life-changing way!
Keeping Your Old Hearing Aids
It might be a wise decision to hang on to those old hearing aids if you purchase new ones. They function well as a backup set of hearing aids. Hearing aids can be unreliable or even suddenly quit, so it makes sense to have a set to use if your new ones have problems. Please remember to store the old hearing aids in a safe and dry place.
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How Do You Dispose Of Old Hearing Aids
Do not dispose of hearing aids in the trash bin. Oftentimes they can be reprogrammed to another persons hearing loss. Even though when the devices are not functioning correctly a hearing care professional can in many cases swap out a component and reuse them for someone in need. And for this person, a new hearing aid could be a huge difference so do not throw them away.
Here you have a lot of options where to donate old hearing aids. Those collection centers are very important and most communities have one. When you do not have one in yours maybe you are interested in accepting the donations and then sending them to an organization like the Hearing Aid Project. You can contact them here if you want to help others by accepting hearing aid donations.
Give The Gift Of Hearing
We are a proud donation location for any and all used hearing aids. Donated hearing aids will be sent to an amazing group, The Starkey Hearing Foundation, that refurbishes the hearing aids and fits them to hearing impaired individuals around the world who would not otherwise have access hearing aids.
Help this amazing foundation with their mission So the World May Hear reach their goal to fit 1 MILLION people this decade by donating yours or a family members old hearing aids. Bring the hearing aids to our office and we will donate for you! Upon donation you will receive a brochure explaining the foundation. This donation can also be used as a tax deduction.
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Why You Should Consider Donating Your Pre
First, here are some significant stats about hearing loss and hearing aids in the United States:
- Of the total populace, around 14% have some kind of hearing loss
- Of all of the adults who have loss of hearing 91% percent are over 50 years old
- 15% of school-age children suffer from some form of hearing loss
- Almost 29 million adults with hearing loss can benefit from hearing aids, but
- only 16% of them actually make use of hearing aids
- First time hearing aid users have an average age of 70, but again
- Of those over 70 who require hearing aids, fewer than 30% percent have ever had them
This is extremely troubling. Because health problems like mental decline, increased risk of falling, and depression have been linked to untreated hearing loss. The importance of your hearing to your general health is backed up by new research coming out all of the time. Getting hearing aids can lessen these health issues .
And hearing loss will cost the typical family up to $12,000 each year which should be a very persuasive fact. But that expense can actually be decreased by up to 50% with hearing aids.
For a family that loses out on $12,000 each year, it may simply not be possible for them to pay for a hearing aid.
Is There Any Value In Used Hearing Aids
by Hearing Wellness Center | Feb 5, 2020 | Hearing Loss Articles
How can you recycle used hearing aids? The answer is definitely the same whether you decide to upgrade to a more sophisticated model such as cochlear implants or you got them from a deceased family member: your used hearing aids should be donated instead of throwing them away.
There are a lot of people dealing with hearing loss who would benefit from donated hearing aid, and several organizations out there that acquire and distribute those hearing aids to the individuals in need. Keep reading to discover how and why to donate pre-owned hearing aids.
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Where Do You Donate Your Used Hearing Aids
The majority of the institutions that will take a used pair of hearing aids will be nonprofits or organizations that have a mission to provide life-changing services at an affordable price. Some national services, such as the Starkey Hearing Foundation, help thousands of people get affordable hearing aids. They not only take in used hearing aid donations, but they refurbish and provide these hearing aids to individuals in need who couldnt afford the more traditional route of hearing treatment.
While its true that most audiologist offices will assist you in recycling your hearing aids, in receiving a tax-deductible receipt for your hearing aid donation, you must donate through a registered 5013 nonprofit. This option is appealing for the tax break benefit and the simple fact that most nonprofits are on a mission to improve the world somehow, shape, or form. This can have a higher appeal to a potential donor than simply donating your devices to a for-profit entity.
How To Deal With Old Hearing Aids
More than 350 million people worldwide have hearing loss that is disabling. That could be a lot of hearing aids! These days, with the fast and furious technology advancements being made in so many industries there are a lot of gadgets we have that require periodic updating like our cell phones, computers, televisions, eyeglasses and so on. The hearing care industry is no different, so if you have an old hearing aid because youve recently gotten a more modern one, we want to help make you aware of options you have to dispose of your older equipment.
Recycle
There is a listing of centers that will be happy to accept your old hearing aids to recycle them into new and improved versions. The Lions Club maintains centers in both the US and Canada. As you may know, the Lions are well known for their community support programs, as well as their investment in sight, hearing and diabetes health issues. For a listing of their Hearing Aid Recycling Program Centers, , please. They have centers in many states, and if youre interested, you can reach out to the Lions to determine how you can establish a center in your state. Just contact their to begin your process.
Donations
Your hearing care specialist is another resource for donation locations.
Batteries
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Hearing Aids Prescription And Over
Prescription hearing aids are the most expensive of the two options and can have price tags in the thousand-dollar range. In fact, the cost of prescription hearing aids can be so substantial that it may be prohibitive for some individuals.
For the person who cannot afford the overall cost of prescription hearing aids over the counter, hearing aids can be a great option. The main difference between over-the-counter and prescription hearing aids is that over-the-counter will not be uniquely programmed to your specific needs.
These hearing aids are typically made with a mass market in mind and take on one-size-fits-all metrics to ensure that the largest number of people can benefit from them. Our over-the-counter hearing aid options, the EV1 and EV3, are the smallest in-canal hearing aids on the market and are a great option for people over 65 who have mild to moderate hearing loss. Our cutting-edge technology can also help filter out unwanted background noise, helping cut down on the degree of sound pollution you experience.
While its still possible to find quality over-the-counter hearing aids, prescription hearing aids are typically suggested for more severe degrees of hearing loss. They also have the advantage of being programmed to your specific needs, which means they can only boost the frequencies below your elevated decibel threshold.
Hope For Hearing: Hearing Aid Recycling Program
Since 2010, the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery has provided subspecialty services for the underprivileged of Washtenaw County in partnership with the Hope Clinic through the Hope at UMHS Clinic. A significant number of these patients suffer with hearing loss and could benefit from a hearing aid. Unfortunately, the high cost of hearing aids makes them an unreachable luxury for Hope at UMHS clinic patients.
In an effort to meet the needs of these patients, we established the Hope for Hearing hearing aid recycling program. This program allows us to collect gently used hearing aids and refurbish them for distribution to our Hope at UMHS patients.
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Where To Donate Used Hearing Aids
Just like many companies will take your old cell phones, laptops, batteries, and more, many places will take your used hearing aids. Rather than letting your hearing aids sit in your home unused, donating them will put them to good use.
Whats more, if youre interested, donating used hearing aids is typically tax-deductible as well. So, while youre doing a good deed by allowing your hearing aids to be recycled, you may also benefit. Once youve decided that you want to donate your used hearing aids, you have to figure out where to do so.
Many nonprofits exist around the United States, and beyond, that accept seemingly all styles of used hearing aids. You can have behind the ear, in the ear, or other models and all can be put to good use. Already mentioned,
Lions Club Hearing Aid Recycling is a popular nonprofit that accepts hearing aids and redistributes them in a meaningful way. The Hearing Aid Project is another nonprofit that welcomes used hearing aids.
The group recycles, repairs, and modifies used hearing aids to be fit for new users. It works to provide hearing aids to those in need who otherwise wouldnt be able to afford hearing aids.
The Starkey Hearing Foundation is another popular organization that accepts used hearing aids donations. Reports have stated that the organization collects 60,000 used hearing aids per year. The group uses those hearing aids to support people who are in desperate need of hearing assistance.
How To Donate Hearing Aids
The invention of hearing aids is and was a life changing technological breakthrough that has helped millions of people improve their quality of life and gain more independence in daily activities including work, communication and entertainment. With the further advancement of technology, new and improved models and designs of hearing aids appear often making the current devices obsolete and eventually left unused. Those fortunate enough to be able to upgrade their hearing equipment often do not know what to do with the old devices.
Instead of putting your old hearing aid in a drawer and forgetting about it or throwing it away, there are different ways you can dispose of it while at the same time giving a chance to someone else to improve their hearing. Unfortunately, hearing aids are not widely accessible, mainly due to financial limitations, to many people living in developing countries although problems with hearing impairment are just as common as in the rest of the world.
One way to help others with hearing difficulties is by donating your old or used hearing aids. A donation will not only prolong the life and the usability of a good hearing aid but also be beneficial for someone who cannot have it in any other way. It is calculated that manufacturers meet about 10% of global need for hearing aids and many people around the world cannot afford either hearing loss prevention or hearing devices.
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What To Do With Used Hearing Aids
How can you get rid of used hearing aids? Whether they belonged to a deceased family member or you decided to upgrade your hearing aids to something fancier like a cochlear implant, the answer is the same: donate your used hearing aids instead of throwing them away.
There are plenty of people suffering from hearing loss who could use a donated hearing aid, and several organizations out there that collect and distribute those hearing aids to the people in need. Read on to discover why its important to donate your used hearing aid and find out how you can go about it.
Why You Should Consider Donating Your Used Hearing Aids
First, here are a few important statistics about loss of hearing and hearing aids in the United States:
- Of the total population, about 14% suffer from some type of hearing loss
- Of all of the adults who have hearing loss 91% percent are above 50 years old
- There is evidence of loss of hearing in 15% of school aged children
- Hearing aids would benefit almost 29 million adults with hearing loss, but
- only 16% of them actually utilize hearing aids
- The general age for first-time hearing aid users is 70, but again
- Of those people over 70 who need hearing aids, fewer than 30% percent have ever had them
This is really worrisome. Because health issues like cognitive decline, greater risk of falling, and depression have been associated with untreated hearing loss. In fact, new research comes out every day showing how crucial hearing is to your overall health. Getting hearing aids can prevent these health issues .
And the final compelling point is that hearing loss can cost the typical family $12,000 in earnings each year. But hearing aids can actually reduce that cost by up to 50%.
It might not be feasible for families who lose $12,000 a year to afford to buy hearing aids.
For an individual in need, who cant afford a hearing aid, your old hearing aids can have a big effect on their financial well being, quality of life, and overall health. It may also cost a child the ability to get into college and better their lives because they cant hear in school.
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