DeafBlind Awareness Week

As part of DeafBlind Awareness Week, we hosted a workshop on DeafBlind awareness, led by Deirdre, our Community Development Officer, who is DeafBlind herself.

The day began with David, a fully DeafBlind person, communicating about his life through his personal assistant using the DeafBlind manual fingerspelling (see chart below).

www.signature,org,uk

David opened up the floor to a Q&A which gave us an insight into what a funny, cheeky person he is with a love for rock-n-roll and reading along with a cheeky pint. 

Verity Thomas from the City of Wolverhampton Council is a Senior Rehabilitation Worker who specializes in working with people who have sensory impairments such as hearing and visual impairments. Verity assesses individuals with dual sensory losses, including DeafBlind individuals, along with her work colleague. She discussed the differences between Congenital (genetic) and Acquired (later in life) DeafBlindness, and explained how the sensory team can support DeafBlind individuals by assessing their homes and providing equipment such as canes and magnifying glasses to help them with their daily living.

After a lunch break, Deirdre explained why we have DeafBlind Awareness Week on the last week of June and shared statistics. In the UK, there are around 340,000 DeafBlind people, with roughly 12,000 being BSL users. There are different types of DeafBlindness in the Deaf Community, with the most common one being Usher's syndrome. Each DeafBlind person is unique, having different preferences for communication and vision. For example, they might like to sit a few feet away, some might prefer to sit close up, while others might prefer bright or muted colours.

 

Deirdre emphasised the daily challenges faced by Deaf users of British Sign Language (BSL) and encouraged the audience to consider how these challenges could pose double barriers for DeafBlind individuals. She also suggested simple changes in our behaviour to support DeafBlind individuals, such as inquiring about their seating preferences, ensuring proper lighting, and informing them about the location of the nearest toilets.

The last activity of the day was trying out Deirdre’s prescribed sunglasses and experiencing the use of a cane with impaired vision. Some participants felt seasick, while others found it an interesting experience.

 

 With thanks to the Heart of England Community Foundation, West Midlands Combined Authority and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport-

#InclusiveCommunities #LegacyFund