The Hearing Aids Need an Owner Every Week. Name Who Changes the Batteries, Cleans the Parts, and Makes the Repair Call

Hearing aids work only when someone keeps them ready. Batteries run out, wax builds up in the openings, and moisture gets into the parts. None of this is hard to handle, but it is easy to forget, and the person who forgets is often the one wearing the device. Decide the routine now, while everyone is still rested.

Local option: New Plan Care gives families in the St. Louis area in-home help so a parent can stay home: companionship, help with bathing and dressing, meals, and overnight care. Call (314) 405-0887.

Start with a short list of jobs

Write down the four jobs that keep the aids working: changing or charging the power source, cleaning after each day of use, drying and storing overnight, and making the call when something breaks. For each job, write one name. A name can be your parent, you, a hired helper, or the audiologist's office. Two names on one job means nobody owns it.

The battery and the charging routine

Check the battery size printed on the package and keep a small supply in one labeled place. If the aids are rechargeable, note where the charger plugs in and what the charging light looks like when the battery is full. Keep batteries away from pets and small children. A hired helper can remind your parent to put the aids in and can help with the battery change if your parent asks for that help.

Cleaning and drying

Follow the cleaning steps in the printed instructions that came with the device. Most owners use the small brush from the kit to clear the sound openings, and they wipe the outside with a dry cloth. Ask the audiologist or the fitter whether any liquid is safe to use on the parts. Do not guess. Put the aids in their drying case or in the storage spot overnight, as the instructions describe.

Who handles a repair

Before anything breaks, find the phone number for the clinic or fitter who set up the aids. Ask these questions and write down the answers: how long the warranty lasts, whether it covers loss or damage or only defects, whether a loaner is available during a repair, where repairs are sent, and how long a repair usually takes. Ask whether there is a separate plan for loss or damage and what it costs to enroll. Keep the warranty card and the receipt in the same folder as the other papers.

What to check every few weeks

Look at the tips and the sound openings for wax or debris. Check the case for cracks and the battery contacts for corrosion. Listen for crackling or a change in sound, and note it for the clinic rather than trying to fix it at home. Write any change in one line on the calendar so the next visit has a clear history. For medical questions about hearing itself, the MedlinePlus pages on hearing aids describe what to ask your provider (MedlinePlus, hearing aids).

If your parent lives with a hearing loss and is also adjusting to home, the local resources listed on the Local Help After a Discharge page may point you to the right office to call first.