Friday, March 15, 2024

What To Do With Old Hearing Aids

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Can I Sell My Old Hearing Aids

Easy Hearing Aid Repairs (You Can do at Home)

In South Africa, only healthcare professionals registered with the Health Professional Council of South Africa, specifically Audiologists and Hearing Aid Acousticians, may sell hearing aids. Whether new or second-hand, you may not legally sell a hearing instrument yourself. Audiologists are also not ethically permitted to participate in the sale of second-hand hearing aids, because of their classification as medical devices. In addition, if the hearing instruments were paid for, even in part, by the patients medical aid or insurance, reselling them is considered by some to be insurance fraud. For this reason, the sale of second-hand hearing aids is strongly advised against from both a legal and ethical perspective.

If you decide to donate your old hearing aid, know that it will be highly valued by whoever receives it. Whether its an individual who cannot afford their own hearing instruments, a university student learning to troubleshoot and handle hearing aids, or a person with an older aid in need of a specific part, the unit will be deeply appreciated. If youd like to find out more about donating old hearing aids, contact us, or comment below.

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.

How To Get Rid Of Hearing Aid Batteries The Right Way

The sad fact is that even if you do everything right, your hearing aid batteries will not last forever. But when its time to replace your batteries, you shouldnt immediately throw them in the garbage. Hearing aid batteries are made from metals that can be toxic to the environment and should be disposed of carefully. Your best bet is to call your hearing specialist and find out if they have any battery recycling programs in place. If they dont you can call up your local township offices or even an electronics store to find out the best way to dispose of your hearing aid batteries. Whatever the case is, its important that you give some thought to your batteries before you throw them away.

Also consider getting a rechargeable hearing aid, which only requires a new battery about once a year.

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Donating Your Old Hearing Aids

Did you know that there is an entire community centered around the collection of hearing aids all over the United States? This community provides critical aid to those in need by providing them with hearing aids and includes the donors of used hearing aids, state and local organizations, and volunteers that work with individuals experiencing hearing loss.

Hearing Charities of America/Sertoma, Inc.

ATTN: Meredith See

Kansas City, MO 64132

816-333-8300

  • Lions Clubs: The Hearing Aid Recycling Program enables Lions to provide affordable, refurbished hearing aids for individuals with limited financial resources. Lions currently maintain hearing aid recycling centers in Canada and in the United States.
  • Knights of Columbus: The Knights of Columbus also collect used hearing aids. Contact your local organization for more information, as COVID-19 may have changed current procedures.

All of these organizations will provide you with information on how to carefully pack and ship your hearing aids. You should also ask if they need you to perform any precautions due to COVID-19 or, if they are still accepting donations at this time. If they are not, hang onto your hearing aids until later or try another foundation.

Keep Your Hearing Aids For Backup

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When you get a new hearing aid, there may be an adjustment period. As with any new technology, it may take some practice getting used to your new aids, and you may end up bringing them to your audiologist for tips on how to best use them. While most audiologists are able to program and make adjustments right there in the office, if the office isnt open when youre having problems, like at night or on the weekend, you may have to wait. If you dont want to go without your hearing aids, it may be a good idea to have a backup set. If your previous hearing aids are still in working order, hold onto them in case you need them in situations such as these.

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Don’t Throw Away Old Hearing Aid Batteries

The zinc-air batteries found in most hearing aids use air as an energy source and come in a variety of different sizes. Be mindful when disposing of these, as well as other hearing aid batteries. Zinc-air batteries contain low levels of mercury, which should never be tossed in with household waste. Once these batteries are incinerated or released into a landfill, the mercury can cause environmental harm, affecting air and water quality.

What Can I Do With The Headphones That Are No Longer Useful

Each of us has a cell phone headset. As a rule, this simple, but very necessary accessory migrates between the pockets of jeans, jacket and bag, so it quickly fails and must be replaced. Do not rush to do it in the trash, it is better to think about what can be done from the old headphones.Did not come up with? Well show you!

As you can see, before you say goodbye to the old attributes, you can try to create something from them: to make a speaker, bracelet, get a magnet or replace a broken microphone made of headphones. In fact, there are many options for creations: it will depend entirely on your ingenuity and desire to steer you in the right creative direction.

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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.

Olive Osmond Hearing Fund

How do hearing aids work?
  • Who are they? The Olive Osmond Hearing Fund is a non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness to support the deaf and hard-of-hearing.
  • What do they do with donated hearing aids? They refurbish donated devices and provide them to those who cannot afford hearing aids otherwise.
  • How do you donate to them? Complete the Aid Donation Form and send your hearing aid directly to the Olive Osmond Hearing Fund. Donations are tax-deductible.

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Can Old Hearing Aids Be Recycled

Hearing aids can be recycled to assist those in need in various ways, being delivered to different groups of people.

  • Repurposing for those struggling financially: This involves used hearing aids being donated to hearing care professionals and being cleaned, serviced and adjusted to suit the specific needs of its recipient who was unable to afford a new hearing aid.
  • Refurbishment for developing nations: Some donated hearing aids are repaired and refurbished and sent with volunteers and healthcare professionals on health missions to developing countries, where those in need are fitted with their new hearing aid.
  • Components donated to manufacturers: Working components of old hearing aids can be utilised in the manufacture of new ones, with the price of the useful parts being discounted from the completed unit. This makes the end price of the hearing aid cheaper for those with limited ability to pay.

Regulations For Used Hearing Aids

There are conditions for buying and selling refurbished hearing aids, due to federal regulations. Those include the following:

  • Used or rebuilt hearing aids are required to have packaging and identification that the aid is not new.
  • The person buying the hearing aids must have a medical evaluation from a doctor. They must complete the evaluation within six months before the sale.
  • If youre buying used hearing aids from someone other than an authorized dealer, you do not have to show proof of the evaluation, but it is strongly recommended. The risk of purchasing a hearing aid online or through an individual without an assessment is that you have no recourse if the hearing aid does not suit your needs. Some individuals will require a signed waiver if they dont get an evaluation, but others do not.

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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.

Why You Should Think About Donating Your Pre

XIAOCHUIJS Hearing Aids Old Man Ear Deaf Ear

First, here are some important stats about loss of hearing and hearing aids in the US:

  • About 14% of the overall population, has loss of hearing
  • 91% of adults who have loss of hearing are above the age of 50
  • There is evidence of loss of hearing in 15% of school aged children
  • Almost 29 million adults with hearing loss can benefit from hearing aids, but
  • hearing aids are actually utilized by only 16% of them
  • The average age for first-time hearing aid users is 70, but again
  • Less than 30% of those over 70 who require hearing aids have ever used them

I think we should be concerned. Because neglected hearing loss has been associated with numerous health problems from a greater risk of falling to cognitive decline and depression. In fact, new research comes out all the time showing how crucial hearing is to your overall health. These health issues can be prevented and in certain instances reversed by hearing aids.

And the last persuasive point is that hearing loss can cost the average family $12,000 in earnings every single year. But hearing aids can actually decrease that cost by as much as 50%.

It might not be possible for families who lose $12,000 a year to afford hearing aids.

For an individual in need, who cant afford a hearing aid, your pre-owned hearing aids can have an enormous effect on their financial well being, quality of life, and overall health. It might also cost a child the ability to go to college and make their lives better because they cant hear in school.

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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.

Can I Donate Used Hearing Aids

If the hearing aid wont work for you, it might work for someone else. One of the best things you can do with used hearing aidswhether they’re in great condition or need repairsis to donate them to a charity that will accept used hearing aids to be re-purposed, reprogrammed or recycled to assist others in need in both the U.S. and around the world. For example, the Lions Clubs International Foundation collects hearing aids at its recycling centers, which are located around the community in public places like libraries or in audiologists’ office.

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Your Local School For The Deaf

  • Who are they? Schools for the Deaf educate profoundly deaf and hearing-impaired children. Some students can benefit from hearing aids. St Rita School for the Deaf is an example of a school located in Cincinnati that makes good use of hearing aid donations.
  • What do they do with donated hearing aids? At St Rita School for the Deaf donated hearing aids are provided to needy students or, in the case of older devices, sent to a manufacturer who issues credit to them for useful parts. They use the credit for supplies, repairs, and other purchases.
  • How do you donate to them? Contact your local school for the deaf to find out how you can go about making a hearing aid donation to them. If you would like to donate to St Rita School for the Deaf, they accept any style of hearing aid in any condition. Mail your hearing aid directly to St Rita School for the Deaf.

Recycling Hearing Aids In The Uk

How Long Do Hearing Aids Last?

NHS Hearing Aids

You probably cant take hearing aids to your local recycling centre, but there are locations where they will be accepted. If the hearing aid was provided by the NHS then taking it back to them would be the best option. Depending on the age and condition of the hearing aids, they can be sent back to the manufacturer to be tested and refurbished

SoundSeekers

If you havent heard of SoundSeekers before, they are an international registered charity that helps deaf and hard of hearing people in some of the poorest places on earth. They help to improve the lives of thousands of deaf people through partnership projects. This includes providing refurbished hearing aids to those in need.

Collection Points

You can drop off unused hearing aids to any Specsavers shop. They will happily take them off your hands and send them off to Soundseekers. You can also hand them over to any Help the Aged shops or post them to Hearing Aid Appeal, Help the Aged, FREEPOST, LON13616, London, EC1B 1PS where they will distribute them through India.

There are a lot of wonderful projects happening around the world that would love to repair, refurbish and send overseas your old hearing aids for reuse in a developing country.

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How To Get More Life Out Of Your Hearing Aid Batteries

A hearing aid battery can last anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks, depending on the type of batteries and hearing aid youre using. That being said, there are a number of ways to get more life out of your hearing aid batteries.

Temperature and dryness are two of the biggest factors that impact the lifespan of hearing aid batteries. You should always aim to keep your hearing aid batteries at room temperature to get extra life out of them. When not in use, you should also leave the battery doors open on your hearing aids to keep the batteries dry and free from corrosion. A hearing aid dehumidifier is a safe place to keep your hearing aids while also getting rid of excess moisture, which will cause a lot of problems if allowed to go unchecked. If you dont plan on wearing your hearing aids for some time, you should remove the batteries from the hearing aid and keep them in a safe, dry space.

Providing Hearing Support In Samoa

With the help of local organisations, our team has been able to provide free hearing checks, ear wax removals and fit donated hearing aids during their visits.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, our team were unable to visit in 2020 and 2021. However, we hope to return in the near future and continue to help the Apia community with their hearing. Donated hearing aids will be used towards our next Free to Ear Programme.

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