Ever wonder what they do with old hearing aids? The ones that no one wants anymore because they are no longer working, or the technology is so outdated? What about grandpa’s hearing aids after he passed away? Can they be used again by someone else, or do they just get thrown away with the trash?
Audiologists get asked this question a lot. After spending so much time and money on hearing technology each year, what happens to the old, outdated, or unused amplification devices that are just collecting dust in drawers everywhere? Well, let me tell you that there is a better place for them to go than the trash can. Just like old computers and cell phones, hearing aids can be recycled, too. It’s better for the environment, and the used aids go towards a good cause.
Did you know that hearing loss affects 1 in 10 Americans, yet many cannot access the hearing devices that can help them? For several years now Mid-West ENT Centre has been working with a national organization to do something about this issue. Since 1973, the Starkey Hearing Foundation has been dedicated to helping the hearing-impaired. Each year, they donate thousands of free hearing aids to needy individuals and children around the world, improving many through their international outreach programs.
Mid-West ENT Centre is proud to be a participant in the Hear Now national program, which is committed to assisting U.S. residents with hearing loss who may not have sufficient resources to get hearing aids. The Starkey Hearing Foundation provides the aids and runs the program, but they count on the generosity of Hear Now providers and donors across the country.
How can you help? It’s really easy! You just drop off your hearing aids here at Mid-West ENT and we will send them in for you. Any make or model, regardless of age, can be donated. All donations are also tax deductible! Just fill out one of the donation forms and a letter of acknowledgment will be sent. If you want to remain anonymous, that’s fine too.
To learn more about the Starkey Hearing Foundation or the Hear Now program, just go online to http://www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org/programs/ or call (866) 354-3254