Tips, anecdotes, news' snippets are yours every week by email and here's a sample :
Hearing Dogs
A popular charity in this country that exists on donations. There is often a misunderstanding as Cathy*, a hearing dog owner put it:
“It’s not the dog who is deaf, it is me!”
She came second in a slogan contest we ran at a Deaf Awareness Day. Each dog costs the charity about £5000 which includes specialised training, for example responding to the beeping that people with ordinary hearing can hear at traffic-lights. Owners pay for food etc. Full details are available from Hearing Dogs.
Palantypist
There are about 25 trained palantypists in Britain who use a sort of typewriter that types phrases, to convert the spoken word into information you can read on a laptop. They work mainly in government and Tribunals for welfare benefits including Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Employment Tribunals They show you an accurate transcript of what has been said although sometimes the technology cannot translate names. One Doctor’s name came up as Dr Funny and the client and I both laughed. The Tribunal Panel frowned and we didn’t dare explain!
Most people are too embarrassed to tell Hospital Consultants they cannot hear. If you are facing a decision for an operation, tell them before you go that you want a transcript of your conversation. Hospitals employ fast typists and that might suit you better as palantypists are hard to find at short notice. Some obscure professional disagreement two years ago means 20 more are in the wings waiting to go professional.
Speech-To-Text
You will see this service advertised on theatre programmes. Usually one performance of a pantomime will give subtitles at the bottom of the stage.. This is different to a performance using British Sign Language Interpreters . Ask at your local theatre. They might even demonstrate it if you ask.
Sensory Loss Team (SLT)
Part of Social Services, each county should have one IMHO. Some counties lump profoundly deaf people and those who have lost hearing together. They have nothing in common! In Hampshire SLT tries to attend NHS Hospital Audiology Clinics although some inter-service rivalry means they often find it hard to book a room at the same time as the audiology clinic! It is daft because the audiologist diagnoses hearing impairment and fits the hearing aid. Sensory Loss Team (SLT) assesses people for equipment loan.
In the private sector independent Hearing Aid Audiologists are beginning to realise that we all need to hear on amplified phones and radio induction loops., to enhance what your hearing aid gives you. Your hearing aid won’t tell you the phone is ringing. An amplified phone alerts you with an especially loud ring and a flashing light..
Sensory Loss Team have limited means to lend you some equipment if you fit their criteria. They like to keep this a secret which suggests it is given for critical need and for severe hearing impairment, deafened or profound deafness. It has been a target for cuts for ages. The problem is that no-one knows about Sensory Loss Team so they can’t ask them for help and SLT cannot advertise as they are a public service. Last time I heard, Hampshire had a strict list of criteria with a waiting list. If you can afford it, buy your own. We have a 30-day try-it-out equipment policy.
Deaf Charities
They all do something different.
Hearing Concern has social groups for adults with any sort of hearing issue..
DeafPLUS offers a minibus service that visits around Hampshire, Surrey, Somerset and Birmingham (different buses!) where you can try out equipment and get expert advice. Where do you think we learnt about equipment?
RNID is now Action on Hearing Loss. It campaigns on hearing issues whether from birth* or later in life.
· *** * Profoundly deaf people do not look on hearing as a loss rather as an exclusivity but it is the interaction with hearing people that is sometimes difficult. Sign language courses for people with ordinary hearing have helped to make life easier for deaf people. (source : RNID) ***
We invite D/deaf charities to give us a line to tell everyone what they do. If you have a favourite, please ask them to email us: tom@hearingmarket.co.uk
If you want to donate to a D/deaf charity (we are not one), you could think about calling it unrestricted funding. That means they can fulfil a need they have identified in their community..