Is it possible to recycle used hearing aids? Whether they were owned by a departed family member or you chose to update your hearing aids to something fancier like a cochlear implant, the solution is the same: your pre-owned hearing aids need to be donated instead of throwing them away.

There are plenty of people dealing with hearing loss who would benefit from donated hearing aid, and a few institutions out there that collect and circulate those hearing aids to the individuals in need. Read on to discover why it’s important to donate your used hearing aid and learn how you can do it.

Why It’s Worthwhile to Donate a Pre-owned Hearing Aid

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

• Of the total population, about 14% suffer from some type of hearing loss
• 91% of adults who have loss of hearing are over the age of 50
• There is evidence of loss of hearing in 15% of school aged children
• Hearing aids would benefit nearly 29 million adults with hearing loss, but…
• …only 16% (4.6 million) of them actually utilize hearing aids
• First time hearing aid users have an average age of 70, but again…
• Of those people over 70 who require hearing aids, fewer than 30% percent have ever used them

This is very troubling. Because neglected hearing loss has been linked to several health problems from a greater risk of falling to cognitive decline and depression. The relevance of your hearing to your overall health is supported by new studies coming out regularly. Getting hearing aids can lessen these health issues (and in some cases even reverse them).

And the final persuasive point is that hearing loss can cost the ordinary family $12,000 in income each year. But hearing aids can actually mitigate that cost by as much as 50%.

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

For a person in need, who can’t afford a hearing aid, your pre-owned hearing aids can have an enormous impact on their financial well being, quality of life, and overall health. It might also help a child in school that has difficulty hearing, which could affect their ability to get into college and make a livable wage when they’re older.

Donating Your Used Hearing Aids

Old hearing aids are recycled and distributed by lots of manufacturers and volunteer groups. Stop by and we can help you find a recycling strategy. Or you can simply give us a call.