Get in touch with the president of the hospital. Seriously. I used to work for a hospital. The president‘s office will then get in touch with a nurse manager for the floor where your mom was. They really hop to,it when they hear from the president’s office. However it’s most likely it was tangled in sheets or gowns and is gone for good. That is a very expensive loss.

Im not sure they will reimburse you for the loss. I doubt it.

How long had she been in the hospital? Had she gone to sleep with it in? At my dad‘s rehab and then nursing, we thought therey was lost, staff said they probably got mixed in the sheets and went to the laundry. But, they turned up in the rolling nurses cart along with all the meds, in a little plastic jar. They then said they usually take out hearing aids and store them overnight since most of the residents are impaired enough that they can‘t manage them. Dad, however, was perfectly capable so then they let him keep the hearing aids. (The other issue was remembering to take them out when they took him for a shower.) Anyway, check all the drawers and nursing stations and carts, they might turn up.

Some, not all insurance companies cover hearing aids. Does your mother have a property policy? Condo, homeowner's, renters? Just something to consider.

A few years ago when my elderly father was in the last few weeks of his life, his wallet went missing in the ambulance transport from his house to when I arrived in the emergency room.

Everyone seemed confident he had it when he left the house in the ambulance, but it was no longer in his possession a few hours later at the hospital. It was one the saddest things I ever had to endure with him. I tried everything I could think of and every person I could go to, but the reality is someone probably stole it for the money and tossed the rest of it in the garbage somewhere. And it wasn't even the money we cared about, it was all the sentimental stuff which he wanted...and which I could never replace.

If you can get reimbursement for this......I'll be amazed. I'm sorry. :(

Oh, Patriceny, that is so sad. When I met up with my dad at the hospital the first thing I did was ask him for his wallet and his watch, so glad he still had them! His watch was the first thing he asked for a couple of days later, but I told him I’d keep his wallet for him.

bpath, it really was sad. He had dementia, and couldn't remember anything - but he knew he was missing his wallet. He asked me about that wallet about 16 times a day. :(

I was able to buy a new one and rebuild it, but his wallet was old and he sort-of knew it wasn't the right one. There were a lot of pictures I couldn't replace that he used to look through too.

The ER said he didn't have it coming out of the ambulance and the ambulance company said he had it when they dropped him off at the ER. I spoke to the patient advocate at the hospital, the public relations department, and the CEO himself. I also spoke with the president of the ambulance company.

The reality is someone along the way took advantage of a dying man for like $30. Hope they really enjoyed that money.

When I worked on the floor, patients coming from the ER were supposed to come with a list of items, including money and the amount. A lot of times they got busy or lazy and wouldn't do an inventory sheet or put it on the transfer note. They were supposed to suggest strongly to patients to let their family take large sums of money or valuables home with them. A lot of times they didn't even ask. They'd come to the floor with hundreds or thousands of dollars. So then we would have to ask the family (if they were still around) to take it home or put it in the safe. A lot of times they would still keep it. I always made sure to document that the patient insisted on keeping those items and how much they were. Hearing aids were lost the most. Sometimes it turned out the family had taken them home or they were in a bedside table or closet in the room they were in. A lot of CNAs and nurses will put them in a denture cup to keep them safe. Although, sometimes dentures and hearing aids in those cups would be left by the patient on their meal trays and dietary would pick them up. The VA where I work would probably have just bought them new ones. I don't know what they do in civilian hospitals. If it was a recent discharge I would have family go to the hospital and ask one of the staff to check in the room. You'd be amazed and grossed out by how many times we found old items in closets and drawers a day or two after the room should have been cleaned out completely. We had a pile of stuff behind the nurses' station all the time with patient belongings they left behind, caps, dentures, hearing aids, glasses, cell phone chargers, clothing, jewelry, you name it. They were eventually taken to lost and found with the room number and name of the last patient, if possible. I don't know if all hospitals have inventory lists, I would think they might. We actually have a initial nurses assessment note that is supposed to list all the items that patient brought in with them. There is also supposed to be a transfer note with the same. In our system if done right, it should be traceable where the item turned up missing. A lot of times family would insist an item or money was stolen, only to go back to the nurses' notes to find another family member took them home with them or they were put in the safe. We also found items left by the patient/staff in old rooms they were moved out of for whatever reason.

I wish there was a list when she came in/left, but this hospital is shoddy. It's why I had her transferred. She was admitted, suspected to be septic. I was not about to let her be septic in a hospital where number of days since MRSA on their board was single digit. One of the worst. I can't stand them. Never liked them! We always put it in a cup and mark it with a marker. All this was done when we weren't there. Grr.

Do not expect to be reimbursed unless it was included in her insurance. If the EMTs stated she had it coming out of the ambulance and ER stated she did not have it when she was checked in it could have easily been removed from her ear with the vibration of the cart in the area in between. No one will accept responsibility and you currently have more important things to worry about that hearing aids.

She can't hear what anyone is asking her. How are you feeling Ms. W (if she's hurting she doesn't answer them)? If you need to get up you have to tell us Ms W (the bed alarm goes off and they come rushing in). Can you tell me what day it is Ms. W (she has no idea what they've said, but might be able to get it right now that she is feeling better and not be listed as altered mental status)? She needs a hearing aid. It's necessary for her care. I don't understand why you find it to be some sort of luxury/toy????????

I'm with Dedtired, get in touch with the president of the hospital, and I also suggest the hospital ombudsmen. Unlike personal effects a hearing aid is a medical device and the hospital has some responsibility. If no list was created, that does not let them off the hook.

Maifleur I think you are speaking of Patriceny's Dad and not Rob's Mom?

I almost lost a friend a couple of months ago to sepsis who was very active and healthy 40 something. He lost 35 pounds and spent almost 7 weeks in rehab and now walks with a cane after using a walker for about 3 weeks. As I said you have more to worry about than hearing aids if she is indeed septic.

Here facility transfers are done when the ambulance company can do them. The ambulance company can give a possible time of pickup but if they have down time they may deviate from that time.

You are correct Lucille but it could also have happened to Robbs mother. If you have ever watched a gurney being wheeled from an ambulance it is not normally a smooth ride from there to where the patient goes. Unlike hospital ones those are made lighter so that they can be easily picked up so most are a smooth ride.

Even if both happened that way, because one item is personal property and the other item is a medical device, the loss is treated differently; those transporting and treating the ill have a higher degree of accountability for medical devices.

She isn't septic. She does have gallbladder issues. We're past the first laproscopic surgery, awaiting the second. You're right, were she septic, it would be much more emergent

Hoping all goes well for her with the surgeries and her hospital stay.

Call the hospital and ask to speak to the patient liaison, every hospital has one. Tell them the story and that you do not have the funds to replace it. How are they going to make it right. Be firm. It works every time. Stress that he was at their mercy and they lost the hearing aid. The liaison person will act on your behalf to make a settlement and stress that you can't wait long as he needs it stat. Then you sit back and wait to hear. If they don't respond in a few days, call back. Be sure to get the liaison person's information and how to reach him or her. Good luck. God bless.

My husband was in ICU after surgery and his glasses got discarded.

The hospital replaced his glasses quickly.

I talked to the ICU charge nurse and he took care of everything .

Glad it was not as serious as originally thought. Sorry I ragged about the hearing aid but seeing a walking skeleton where a vibrant person used to be sent me into a panic. My friend is still not a functioning human being and he was very close to dying in April.

I understood. It's why I clarified. You're right. That was so serious a diagnosis, I collapsed on the ground crying (she's been so ill so much, no way she'd survive it) when I got the news. Outside. Neighbors came to check on me.

Glad your neighbors checked on you. When I just decided to send my friend a message and found out he was in the hospital and what for I cried also. Sepsis is such a terrible thing to have.

Most of the time, a hospital will NOT be responsible for any item the patient brings in with them. I was once admitted and needed to use a percussion vest. They had none in the hospital. So, I had to have my daughter bring mine from home. She had to stay while I did a 30-40 minute treatment, then pack the danged thing back up and take it with her. Then return in the evening and do the same thing all over again. The hospital refused to be responsible for this $16,000 piece of equipment. Most also refuse to be responsible for pillows from home, a handbag and the clothes one wore when admitted.

You can try, but don't be surprised that the hospital refuses to reimburse you for the hearing aid, and she may have to just do without. Between her dementia and hearing loss, it's going to be very hard to communicate with her about her treatment. You may have to stay with her or hire someone to do so. Hospitals are very unaccommodating these days...

Just a small suggestion since she was at another hospital, in room or just ER, you might go and ask at the desk that tended her if they have it. Hopefully it has her initials or some identifying markings on it or you have the serial numbers to prove it is hers.

As Anglo stated at this point if her dementia is bad her ability to communicate may be gone soon so time is coming that it will be of no use for her.

If it is not located you can ask her insurance company if it is covered however a hearing test for a new one may not work.

I'm so sorry this happened to you. I was with my mother in hospital recently and I was lucky enough to be able to keep up with all of her possessions. The nurse gave us a little plastic container with a snap-on lid to use for her hearing aids which was so helpful. We never left Mother alone because she doesn't always understand questions and respond appropriately. Most of the nurses and techs are amazingly patient and helpful, but there are always one or two who are not and who have to be managed.

We didn't get the choice to not leave her alone, unfortunately. I agree most are quite kind. I don't think it has to do with unkindness even. I think she probably took it out and had nowhere close to put it, so it ended up in the bedsheets. And she was really out of it. Sheesh, she even asked me in a snide way a couple of days ago, "Are you stupid?". I don't think I've ever heard my mom utter that word, much less towards me; she's incredibly sweet (I'm far more like her mother, a pistol!). She has no idea she said it. The following day my sister told her I visited and brought her her favorite food. Which wasn't even true. I had to hold her down while they performed a procedure, as she was trying to hit them. I've never seen her raise a hand to anyone or anything. Ever. She was out of it.

I think this one is an oversight. I looked for it the day I got to visit her there and thought maybe it was left behind since she was whisked away so emergently. We asked the hospital the moment we realized it. We'll file a claim with them and ultimately, I bet we'll have to file a home owners claim. That's my guess. Just wanted to make sure we're doing all that can be done. Brother will handle it :)

It's the dementia Rob. I'm so sorry. I went through all of this with my dad too. He got mean and said things which were so out of character for him. It's a gut-wrenching thing to endure, for everyone.

I thought about the wallet situation more last night and I did remember the hospital offered to buy dad a new wallet. So maybe you'll be surprised about the hearing aids. I didn't take them up on the offer of a new wallet because what he really wanted were the things that couldn't be replaced - but I had forgotten they did offer to replace it.

Yeah, I didn't take it personally.

I'm glad they at least tried to make it better for you patrice!

Even those with dementia that are not normally violent will react when having certain procedures such as blood draws simply because they only know that they are being hurt. My husband slugged several people the last time someone attempted to draw blood. I finally laid across him and held down his arm to have it done. After that I had it entered in his chart no more blood work.

My friend's father is in a nursing home. He was in a different one for evaluation and they lost his hearing aids - most likely they were on the bed and got put into the laundry when they pulled the sheets off. In her situation the facility did replace them after several lengthy conversations with them. She was thrilled because they are very expensive. They did say if it happened again they wouldn't be held responsible.

Usually the key to having the hospital replace is some documentation that they were in her possession on arrival. Often the nurse's admission assessment will not just note specific items in the belongings list, but note that the person uses specific assist devices like hearing aids. Hospitals do replace dentures, glasses and hearing aids, it is not uncommon, but each one will have its own policies about it -- there is no universal requirement or standard.

Unfortunately it is often a case of the items set on the food tray after a meal and not noticed when the tray is picked up -- and no way to trace it, since TJC considers the meal ticket as having protected information & it is supposed to be discarded before it leaves the room.

I would keep going back to the hospital and ambulance company. Sometimes things turn up long after with no way to identify the owner. They could have been dropped anywhere from the room to the truck. They could still be in a drawer at the nurse's station, or in the pharmacy bin or any of the locked drawers for that room, or now in the hospital's lost and found. Or in another department if she went for a test - especially MRI. At the hospital, it is possible also that they are in a table that was moved to another room - ask them to check all the rooms on the unit,

I learned to not just carefully record what my new patients had with them, and I would bluntly tell them that they risked having anything valuable stolen if they kept it, but I would also specifically state "No jewelry, No money, No credit cards" and so forth. And tell their family to NOT bring anything else.