Frequently Asked Questions
How does one qualify for assistance?
How do I apply for assistance?
What can I do with hearing aids that are no longer being used?
Who does the Society help?
Help is available to citizens of BC who are able to demonstrate need, and who make application to a BC Lions/Lioness club for assistance.
How does one qualify for assistance?
Assistance is normally available only to applicants who can demonstrate that family financial circumstances preclude the purchase of hearing aids through normal means. Each Lions/Lioness club makes their own decision whether or not assistance can be provided to an applicant at the time of his or her application.
How does the Society help?
Upon request from a BC Lions/Lioness club, the Lions of BC Hearing Conservation Society will provide the applicant’s licensed provider with appropriate hearing instruments. The service charges of the Provider are born by the sponsoring club and the Society. Usually the aids supplied will be refurbished ones collected through the Society’s recycling program.(Applicants are usually requested to make a nominal contribution towards their hearing remediation, in the form of a donation to the sponsoring club).
How do I apply for assistance?
It is first necessary to visit a licensed hearing aid provider in British Columbia to obtain an assessment of hearing proficiency, and a recommendation for remediation. The assessment and recommendation must then be submitted to a local Lions/Lioness club, preferably with a written request for assistance. Your Provider may be able to assist you in making contact with a club in your area. Alternatively, many clubs maintain web sites of their own, and most local Chambers of Commerce will have knowledge of clubs operating in their area.
What can I do with hearing aids that are no longer being used?
The Society places collection boxes in the offices of participating providers within BC, and in many retirement residences and care homes. If you, or someone you are familiar with, have hearing aids that are no longer required, they can simply be placed in any of these collection boxes. Alternatively, most Lions clubs will be willing to accept donated aids on behalf of the Society. Donated aids are inspected, categorized, cleaned and repaired as necessary, then placed in inventory for re-issue to applicants.
How does one become a Lion?
Lions Clubs International is the largest service club organization in the world, with more than 2 million members in 205 countries. The Lions motto is "We Serve", and there are lions clubs serving every community in our Province through many different programs of which hearing conservation is but one. Becoming a lion is easy; simply contact a lion member and inform him or her that you would like to find out what it means to be a lion. You will be invited to a meeting where you can experience the companionship and the satisfaction that comes from participation.