Donate hearing aids to the ones in need! | Make a difference
The number of people that have hearing disabilities has crossed over 350 million worldwide. That is a huge number to have hearing impairments. Almost half of the many millions of people that need medical attention regarding their hearing cannot afford any. With the ever-increasing demand in hearing aids, a lot of people find it difficult to afford one. Unlike the hearing aids of antiquity, modern ones have regular updates, just like our smartphones. Therefore, these gadgets need regular changes in order to function correctly. That is a lot for those who cannot afford one. All these things sum up to what we do with our old hearing aids. If you are someone who has an extra pair of hearing aids or someone who can help someone hear better by buying a pair of hearing aids; you can donate hearing aids to someone in need.
How to donate hearing aids?
Donating hearing aids is one of the best ways to help someone in need of proper hearing. There are many ways you can donate hearing aids. One of the most popular methods of donating hearing aids is through service organizations. These non-profit organizations collect not only hearing aids but eyeglasses as well. Some of the leading organizations are Lions Club hearing aids, Rotary Club hearing aids, and Sertoma. For instance, HARP (Hearing Aid Recycling Program) helps Lions Club to provide refurbished, affordable, used hearing aids to those in need. HARP is one of the most prominent hearing aid assistance programs that operate all around the world.
If you have bought a new pair of hearing aids, you can give your old pair to these hearing aid grants where they refurbish, clean, and pack them to distribute among the needy. Moreover, if you want to donate the hearing aids separately to someone who needs them, you should be careful to clean, refurbish, and recycle them properly, before donating. If you donate them to a service organization such as Lions Club or Rotary Club, they do the job for you and donate hearing aids to those that best suit the equipment.
What to do with old hearing aids
While there are many associations and organizations that cater to free hearing aids, these equipment go through a series of refurbishing before going into one’s hand. The reason for this is that these are used hearing aids, and they are likely to carry a lot of germs. These organizations have a procedure to conduct before letting them out to the public.
Recycling hearing aids
There are many organizations that are more than happy to provide hearing aid assistance for low-income families and individuals. These organizations collect used hearing aids and recycle them to be more improved and better versions. Some aids require upgrades and repairs as they are used ones. For instance, Lions Club has centers all across the globe for these kinds of donations with recycling centers. Lions Club is an international entity that heavily invests in sight, hearing, and diabetes health concerns all around the world. They are famous for their community and charity programs. They have an affiliates program called HARP (Hearing Aid Recycling Program), and you can list yourself there if you need a hearing aid but can’t afford one, or if you would like to donate your old pair of hearing aids.
How to make the donation?
Hearing aids do not come cheap. Especially among low-income families, they need hearing aid financial assistance. Some donations are subject to tax deductibles based on the state. Therefore, when you are making your donation, the price may not come as you expect because of this reason. But if you are donating it for free, you can approach organizations like Lions Club, The Miracle-Ear Foundation, or Starkey Hearing Foundation to make your free donation. They will be happy to receive the hearing aids as a gift. The organizations will be responsible for refurbishing and repairing the hearing aids before giving them away.
Points to note when wearing a donated pair of hearing
If you are someone who needs hearing aids and cannot afford them, you can perhaps reach out to these non-profit organizations to give you a pair of hearing aids. But there are points to note when you are wearing donated hearing aids.
- You have first to consult a hearing care specialist, so you know what the problem is. The specialist will then suggest if you need a hearing aid and what features to look for. Without having any idea, if you wear hearing aids, you are likely to damage your ears.
- When going for donated hearing aids, you need to inspect them thoroughly for any potential risk. They are previously used by someone else, and you would not want an infection in your ear or a defect in the equipment later.
- You have to make sure the pair is comfortable to wear
- Once you receive your hearing aids, take them to the healthcare specialist to have them checked.
- Reach out to an organization that has an excellent reputation for donating high-quality hearing aids.
Final thoughts: Donate hearing aids to help someone who is in need
Since there is a vast number of people that require some kind of hearing aid, the demand for the equipment is reasonably high. However, not everyone is in a place to afford hearing aids. Therefore, if you are someone who is upgrading the hearing aids, the best thing to do is to donate hearing aids that you used before. In that way, you will help someone’s hearing condition and contribute to your community’s wellbeing.