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Lost your hearing aid? It happens more often than you might think. Hearing aids are tiny and can be so comfortable you may not even notice right away if one falls out.
According to ESCO, a hearing aid warranty company, some of the top reasons people lose their hearing aids are from simply misplacing them around the house, or they fall out while traveling. But that was before the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past couple of years, face masks have become a major culprit for why people lose hearing aids. When people take off a face mask, the hearing aid may inadvertently get removed, too.
“Each of those lost hearing aids was someone’s way of communicating with family, friends, and loved ones,” during a difficult time, notes Patrick Miller, marketing manager for ESCO, in a blog post on the spike in hearing aid losses during the pandemic.
Lost a hearing aid? Here’s what to do first
Some hearing aids may come with a hearing aid app that has a “find my hearing aid” feature. This can be invaluable and should be the first thing you do if a quick search of your immediate surroundings comes up short. If your hearing aids have this feature, they will take you to the last area your hearing aids connected with your phone, even if the batteries in the hearing aids have died.
Still no luck? Retrace your steps
While this may seem like frustratingly obvious advice, retracing your steps just before you lost your hearing aid can pay off. Even if you’ve done so already, try once more. Give some serious thought to when you are sure you last had your hearing aid and what you were doing at the time. How did you notice your hearing aid was missing and where were you then?
Report your lost hearing aid
If you were in a public venue or business when you lost your hearing aid, either call them or visit. Good Samaritans are everywhere, and one of them may have turned your valuable hearing aid into the “lost and found.” Talk to someone at the venue and describe what your hearing aid looks like. If they don’t have it, leave your name and number and request a phone call if the hearing aid turns up. It may help to check back several times. Enlist the help of family and friends to help you look for your hearing aid at home or wherever you think it could be.
Retracing your steps can pay off if you lose your hearing aid.
Call your hearing care professional
If retracing your steps and searching your home, office, car, purse or briefcase doesn’t help, contact your hearing healthcare provider. Most hearing aids are covered by warranties from the manufacturer for one-time loss and damage for at least the first year and sometimes longer. Your provider will easily be able to tell you if you are covered. They also may know if your app has a “find my hearing aid” feature and can help you use it if you’re not sure how to use the app.
It is counter-intuitive, but wait a couple of days before panicking. Very often the hearing aids show up in strange places such a pair of pants you swore you weren’t wearing or a purse you haven’t used in forever. We often get another phone call, saying the hearing aid was found in an unexpected place.
If you have a warranty
Some hearing aid wearers opt to purchase additional coverage for their devices through third-parties such as ESCO or Midwest Hearing Industries. Others choose to add a special rider to their existing homeowner’s insurance to cover hearing aid loss and damage.
If you are covered by the manufacturer or one of these additional options, ask your provider about next steps. Sometimes, you will need to supply a simple notarized letter for the manufacturer or insurer.
Be aware that even if the hearing aid is covered and you can get a replacement at no cost, your hearing care professional will still charge you a small fee for the replacement hearing aid.
Here at Audiology with a Heart, we have partnered with ESCO. When your original warranty is getting ready to expire, you will receive a letter offering an extended warranty. There are typically two choices: replacement and repair coverage for a year or replacement only. Prices vary depending on the coverage you choose and the technology tier of the hearing aids. If your warranty has lapsed, you can still purchase a warranty as long as the hearing aids are in good condition.
Preventing a lost hearing aid
Knowing what to do in the event you lose a hearing aid is important, but most wearers would prefer to avoid loss altogether. Here are some things you can do to prevent lost hearing aids:
- If you are active outdoors or enjoy athletics, there are special clips available online (www.gearforears.com) that can help secure your hearing aids.
- Make sure your hearing aids fit snugly and properly. If they feel loose in the ear, tell your hearing care professional.
- Do not leave hearing aids within reach of kids or pets.
- Store your hearing aids in the same safe place every night. If they’re rechargeable, this should be easy—set them in the charger and nowhere else.
- Don’t get in the habit of taking your hearing aids out during the day and setting them aside since you will be more likely to misplace them or forget where you’ve left them. Plus, it’s better for your brain to wear your hearing aids all day.
- Be extremely cautious when removing your face mask when wearing hearing aids. Double-check they’re still in after you remove your mask.
- If you are the caretaker of a person who uses hearing aids, go over all these tips with them and set up a routine as much as you can for how and when they use and remove their hearing aids. Talk to staff if your loved one is in a nursing home so that they know the routine, too.
If you have questions, please call 561-366-7219 for more information.
