The Sensory Team at Torbay and Southern Devon Health and Care NHS Trust is hosting a free deaf awareness exhibition for people who are deaf or hard of hearing as well as their family, friends and carers.
The exhibition will take place on Wednesday 6 May as part of Deaf Awareness Week (4 – 10 May).
The theme this year is ‘Connect and Communicate’.
Communication and the community are a hugely important part of life, and deaf people are often excluded from the usual forms of communicating – a shout of warning, hearing their name at the doctors, or a passing word with a stranger. It means deaf people can feel isolated and can find it hard to get information or help in an emergency. That’s part of the reason that deaf people are twice as likely as hearing people to be affected by depression, anxiety and similar problems.
Deafness is the third most common disability in the world, but you probably wouldn’t spot a deaf person in a crowd. There are varying degrees of deafness, from being hard of hearing to being profoundly deaf.
Drop in and meet the sensory team and our partner organisations for a wide range of advice and information, including:
– Sensory Team offering advice and information and equipment demonstrations such as day-to-day solutions for the telephone, doorbells, television and specialist smoke detectors.
– Audiology will be on hand to provide some hearing aid maintenance and advice
– Living Options will be holding some short, deaf awareness workshops
– The trust’s unpaid carers service will be offering advice and information
– Various other stands including the fire service and other agencies that support deaf awareness week.
Lorraine Thompson, Sensory Team Leader at Torbay and Southern Devon Health and Care NHS Trust, said: “We are asking people to think about how clearly they are able to communicate with family and friends who are deaf or hard of hearing.
“More than 70 per cent of over 70 year-olds and 40 per cent of over 50 year-olds* have some form of hearing loss. Every day we come into contact with individuals who have some degree of deafness; however, as this is an invisible disability it may not immediately be apparent.
“We would like to encourage people to drop in and meet the sensory team and our partner organisations. We will be available to offer advice and information and provide equipment demonstrations such as day-to-day solutions for the telephone, doorbells, television and specialist smoke detectors. We look forward to seeing you there!”
The event will be held at Sight and Hearing Information Centre, CHAD, Jasmyn House, 1 Midvale Road, Paignton, TQ4 5BD from 10am-3pm
