Free hearing services offered to adults and seniors in need

By Adriana Villalobos, MA, CCC-A, Hears4You Board President

Hears4you was started in January 2021 by the Board of Directors and me, its president and a bilingual audiologist with 30 years of experience in the field, because we realized the need for lower-priced hearing aid services in Collier County.

The mission of Hears4you is to provide free, donated hearing aids to people in need. One in every three persons over the age of 65 has some hearing loss. Hearing aids cost $1,000 to $3,000 each and are not covered by Medicare and many insurance plans. Unfortunately, this means that many people in need of hearing help are not getting it because of the high price of hearing aids.

Hears4you has begun receiving donated hearing aids from Jewish Federation of Greater Naples and is now offering free hearing clinics at Neighborhood Health Clinic and the Golden Gate Senior Center. Since October of 2021, it has provided dozens of free hearing tests and free donated hearing aids.

The organization takes used, donated hearing aids, preferably less than 5 years old, and donates time to recycling them. Recipients of the free, donated devices complete applications and document their low-income status and lack of health insurance.

With a goal to fi t at least 10 free, donated hearing aids last year, Hears4you fit 8 in 2021. As of March this year, it has already fit 10 free, donated hearing aids! It hopes to expand the program to provide new hearing aids through a manufacturing company but is in need of funding to do so.

Hears4you also has been offering free cleaning and checking of hearing aids at local retirement centers.

For more information about donating hearing aids or receiving free, donated hearing aids, please contact us Hears4you at 6017 Pine Ridge Rd., Suite 363, Naples, FL 34119; 305-699-3246; www.hears4you.org.