I found a hearing aid

[Oddjob0226]

I was out last week doing chores, and I found someone's hearing aid! So what do I do? Is there a serial number on it that can be traced back to the owner? Who do I call? Where do I go?

I could put an ad in the paper, but it was found outside a restaraunt off of a main TX highway... so it could belong to a local, or it could belong to a travler on their way back to Maine. So where do lost hearing aids go? Somewhere out there there's a couple going:

"I can't find my hearing aid."
"Where'd you leave it last?"
"WHAT?"

And these things aren't cheap; I know cheap. So what can I do?

 

[TKpervert]

"I can't find my hearing aid."
"Where'd you leave it last?"
"WHAT?"

LMAO !!

No, they're not cheap, but there really ain't much you can do.

Maybe just keep it til one of these years you find yourself saying "WHAT??" way too many times.

 

[Celtic_Emperor]

Isn't there like a lost found fot this sort of thing thats in the town registry and people can look at up, go, and then maybe find their lost item(s)?

 

[sole seeker]

Tell the restaurant you found it, in case the owner was there and decides to call everywhere he went on the day he lost it. My mom has a hearing aid... cost her over $8,000. Some of them are damn expensive!

 

[Oddjob0226]

$8,000 ??!!! That's enough to make me go communist! Dang. And I'm going to be needing at least one myself I can tell.

Contacting the manager is a good idea - I'll do that tomorrow. My big worry, and why going to the 'local authorities' might not work, either, is that since this was a (semi) fast food restaurant off of a main highway, the person may not be local, and might be in Oklahoma, Arkansas, or further, AND may not even remember the name or location of the restaurant, assuming he realizes where he might have lost it to begin with.

Really, who takes out their hearing aid to eat a sandwhich?

Anyway, besides talking with the manager, I have e-mailed a very popularly read Dallas newspaper columnist who often helps people in reuniting with family members, the needy and do-gooder strangers, etc. as part of his human interest columns, so maybe this will get a brief mention and get word of mouth going.

 

[BlackmoonDoll]

why would you want to make money off someones Used hearing aid?


how STUPIDDDDDD is that. its used (meaning someone has already used it time and time again) who cares. toss the hearing aid in the trash and forget about it

🙂

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

I was out last week doing chores, and I found someone's hearing aid! So what do I do? Is there a serial number on it that can be traced back to the owner? Who do I call? Where do I go?

So what can I do?

There are not a lot of companies that make hearing aids. If you really want to help get it back to it's owner, I'd give the following steps a shot...

1. Let the restaurant know you have it and a number they can call you at if the owner calls them.

2. Take it to a local hearing aid place. They'll likely be able to tell you who made it...helping to pin down th origin.

3. Put an add in the paper stating where you found it, but no description. There ARE people who would lie to get their hands on it and be able to resell it.

4. If there are local senior centers, you could post a note there in case it's a local who happens to go there.

Just some ideas. Since many insurance providers refuse to cover hearing aids and they're so damned expensive, I hope whoever lost it gets in touch.

Ann

 

[He-Man]

WHAT? NO, I DON'T WANT ANY LEMONADE, THANKS..

😛

 

[TickledToDeath]

WHAT? DID I FEAR MAIDS? NO BUT I COULDN'T AFFORD ONE ANYWAY!

TTD

 

[steph]

LOL!

First of all, congrats on trying to do the right thing. There are some excellent ideas here. Since you're going to see the manager anyhoo, you might make up a flyer to post on the door to the restaurant, near the cash register, etc.

XOXO

$8,000 ??!!! That's enough to make me go communist! Dang. And I'm going to be needing at least one myself I can tell.

Contacting the manager is a good idea - I'll do that tomorrow. My big worry, and why going to the 'local authorities' might not work, either, is that since this was a (semi) fast food restaurant off of a main highway, the person may not be local, and might be in Oklahoma, Arkansas, or further, AND may not even remember the name or location of the restaurant, assuming he realizes where he might have lost it to begin with.

Really, who takes out their hearing aid to eat a sandwhich?

Anyway, besides talking with the manager, I have e-mailed a very popularly read Dallas newspaper columnist who often helps people in reuniting with family members, the needy and do-gooder strangers, etc. as part of his human interest columns, so maybe this will get a brief mention and get word of mouth going.

 

[Oddjob0226]

Re: LOL!

First of all, congrats on trying to do the right thing. There are some excellent ideas here. Since you're going to see the manager anyhoo, you might make up a flyer to post on the door to the restaurant, near the cash register, etc.

XOXO

What if they guy is blind, too??? Oh, lordy lordy.....

No one came in looking for a hearing aid at the restuarant, but I left my name and number.

 

[the_Baron]

try using it.

 

[sole seeker]

2. Take it to a local hearing aid place. They'll likely be able to tell you who made it...helping to pin down the origin.

Excellent idea. Similarly, if you can establish what make it is you can contact the manufacturer to see if there is a serial number somewhere inside the unit. (The number would be small enough you'd need a jewler's loop to read it.) If there is a number it's probably registered with the company that made it. At the least they should know what business they sold it to.

Some people take off their hearing aids in noisy environments (like crowded restaurants) - especially if they don't expect to engage in conversation.

 

[Oddjob0226]

I went to the restaurant and they told me no one came in looking for a hearing aid, although I left my number. The manager told me her son had just lost his hearing aid at school, and it cost $2,000! The writer in Dallas (Steve Blow, go read his stuff) recommended that I call the local Deaf Action Network. When I called and told them what was happening, they told me there was no way to trace a hearing aid to it's owner and I could just throw it away! I was like "YO!?" and they was like "Yao!" so I was all "ehhh..."

So I will give the lost and found ad in the newspaper a try, but it ain't looking good, ladies and germs. And I hate to throw away a $2,000 ANYthing, so if the owner doesn't come forward, I wonder if hearing aids can be donated somewhere (like pacemakers and eyeglases). I'll do an internet search and see what I can find.

 

[steph]

Have you checked with your local P.D.? It's great that you're trying so hard, I think. At least you'll have done all you could for someone...

XOXO

 

[Oddjob0226]

Thanks, Steph. I miss talking to you. I'm new to the area I'm in where I found the hearing aid (Rockwall, TX) so I'm not even sure where the PD is! But come Monday I will look 'em up in the phone book and go there after work. And I'll keep searching for any type of donation program. Honestly, if my only alternative is to throw it away, I'd sell the thing if I could and make a little money for myself (I could sure use it, and there seems to be no way to return it to it's rightful owner) but before I go that route - if that is even possible - I'd really like someone who needs it to get some real use out of it.

 

[steph]

Miss you too hon!😛 (but you always know how to reach me 😉)
You might also check with your towns DHHS (some states call it something else but I can probably do a little investigating if you need me to!

XOXO