Is it possible to recycle used hearing aids? Whether they belonged to a departed relative or you chose to update your hearing aids to something fancier like a cochlear implant, the answer is the same: your pre-owned hearing aids need to be donated instead of getting rid of.
There are a lot of people dealing with hearing loss who would benefit from donated hearing aid, and a few organizations out there that collect and distribute those hearing aids to the people in need. Read on to discover why it’s important to donate your used hearing aid and find out how you can do it.
Why You Should Look Into Donating Your Used Hearing Aids
First, here are some important statistics about hearing loss and hearing aids in the United States:
- Of the overall populace, about 14% have some type of hearing loss
- Of all of the adults who have loss of hearing 91% percent are above 50 years old
- 15% of school-age children suffer from some type of hearing loss
- Almost 29 million adults with hearing loss can benefit from hearing aids, but…
- …hearing aids are actually used by only 16% (4.6 million) of them
- First time hearing aid users have an average age of 70, but again…
- Of those people over 70 who require hearing aids, less than 30% percent have ever had them
This is really troubling. Because neglected hearing loss has been associated with multiple health problems from a greater risk of falling to mental decline and depression. The value of your hearing to your general health is supported by new studies being released all of the time. These health problems can be prevented and in certain instances reversed by hearing aids.
And hearing loss will cost the average family up to $12,000 each year which should be a really compelling fact. But that cost can actually be lessened by up to 50% by using hearing aids.
For a family that loses out on $12,000 each year, it might just not be feasible for them to pay for a hearing aid.
Your used hearing aid can have a huge impact, in the overall health, quality of life and financial stability, for an individual in need who couldn’t normally afford a hearing aid. It could also help a child in school who has difficulty hearing, which could impact their ability to enter into higher education and make a livable wage when they get older.
Donating Your Used Hearing Aids
There are numerous volunteer groups and makers who help recycle old hearing aids. Come by and we can help you find a recycling strategy. Or give us a call.