Close to 50 million Americans have hearing loss, and many depend on hearing aids to improve both their hearing and speech. For some, these hearing aids cause a financial hardship, as they cost thousands of dollar each and most insurance companies do not help cover this cost.
Luckily, there are good Samaritans who understand how important these devices are to improving the quality of life of those who wear them, and they step in to give a helping hand. Here are just a couple heart-warming tales that we’d like to share with you.
Precious Gifts
In October 2017, a disabled veteran in Denver learned that a young boy’s hearing aids were destroyed by bullies at school. The boy’s mother took him to a football game to cheer him up, and the veteran arranged for an anonymous donation of $7,000 that was presented to the family at the game. The veteran, who wears hearing aids himself, understood how much his hearing aids meant to him, and did not want the boy to do without. The boy’s mother was grateful to the point of tears because she too understood how important that gift was to her son and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to help him on her own.
In Texas, a young boy learned from his parents about the cost of hearing aids. His dog had chewed his, and his parents explained that insurance wouldn’t cover the costly replacement. While he was thankful that his family could afford to replace his hearing aid, he was distraught to learn that others go without because they can’t bear the cost. To help, the 10-year-old started a crowdfunding campaign that raised $15,000 in two months. Some of that money was used to buy batteries for hearing aids for people affected by a recent hurricane in his state. His next goal is to help people around the world who can benefit from the gift of improved hearing.
Taking Care of Hearing Aids
While these stories are incredibly touching, not everyone has a good Samaritan who can step forward and help. For those people, taking good care of their hearing aids is the best way to ensure that they don’t face repair or replacement costs that aren’t covered by insurance. Hearing aids are delicate devices with several essential components that must be kept free of things like excessive moisture. It is crucial to keep wax from building up, as that is the second most common cause of hearing aid failure after dead batteries. People should be particularly careful when cleaning the microphones on their hearing aids, as these are some of the most delicate parts of the devices. It is also important to keep these life-altering devices adequately stored when not in use, and out of the reach of pets and curious children. People who have any questions about the proper care of their hearing devices should consult their audiologists to make sure they have all the information and tools they need.