Sensory impairment support

What does it do?

We offer specialist assessments and services to people with severe vision and/or hearing loss. If you ask for an assessment the assessor will consider a wide range of your needs, but concentrate on the practical and emotional difficulties experienced by people with a sensory loss, as well the effect that these difficulties have on their carers.

Special Equipment
Deaf people may need alerting by flashing lights or vibrating pagers to a wide range of events such as callers at their door, smoke alarms etc. There is also equipment to help Deaf people use the telephone to communicate in an emergency.
Visually impaired people may need equipment to enable them to read important correspondence or to prepare and cook food and make drinks safely.
 
Learning New Skills
Visually impaired people may need to be trained in new techniques to move around safely, carry out a range a household tasks, access correspondence or information on their computer.
 
Group activities and emotional support
Some learning is best done in groups where the support of the other people, with similar difficulties, is available. Meeting people who have risen to the challenge of their sensory loss may inspire others to learn new ways of doing familiar tasks.
 
Many people with a severe sensory impairment feel isolated and emotionally vulnerable. Staff in our team are aware of these issues and will aim to improve your confidence and independence through their work with you.
 
There are social groups for Deaf and deafblind people as well as groups for carers of visually impaired people. There is also a communicator guide scheme to enable deafblind people to have some independence.