1. Sensory Impairment Team Faseman House Faseman Avenue Tile Hill Coventry CV4 9RB Tel: 7678 5250 E-mail: sensory.impairment@coventry.gov.uk

2. Role of Rehabilitation Assistant (Hearing Impairment Services) Rehabilitation Assistants work with people with hearing loss to Promote and sustain independence Training in the use of equipment Advise on suitable aids for the home Provide information and advice Signpost to other agencies, groups

3. Social Work The Sensory Impairment Team has a qualified Social Worker and a Community Case Worker who work solely with people with hearing or visual impairments or dual sensory loss These workers carry out community care assessments to determine whether people have eligible care needs, if their family members need support to carry out a caring role, and to address any safeguarding issues They are also able to offer advice on other services e.g. voluntary services which may be useful to people

4. Equipment Demonstration Room We offer an appointment only service to look at and try various equipment available to purchase for hearing impairments. A member of the Sensory Impairment Team is available at these sessions to offer advice If you are a Coventry resident and eligible for services we will offer an assessment as part of the appointment and can provide some items of equipment free of charge Based at Faseman House, Faseman Ave, Tile Hill. Telephone 7678 5250 for an appointment

5. Indicators of Hearing Loss Withdrawal from groups i.e. not joining others at mealtimes Eating meals alone in their room Reluctance to joining in social activities TV/Radio volume loud Having to repeat yourself Being told you are mumbling Inappropriate responses

6. Registration as Deaf/Hard of Hearing There is no formal registration process. Community Services hold the register of people with hearing loss. NHS Definition of Hearing Loss/Deaf Hard of Hearing: those who (with or without a hearing aid( have some useful hearing and whose normal method of communication is by speech, listening and lipreading. Deaf: Those who (even with a hearing aid) have little useful hearing.

7. Registration in Coventry The person with hearing loss will need to have had a hearing test. Most people in Coventry will have been seen by the Audiology Department (called Hearing Centre at University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire), Walsgrave. To register a person we require proof which can either be a copy of the hearing test (graph) or the battery book. We require the person to sign a Consent to Registration form which is then held on our records in the Sensory Impairment Team, Coventry Community Services.

8. Benefits/concessions of Registration as Deaf There are no benefits if you are hard of hearing Profoundly Deaf or severe hearing loss. People are eligible for concessionary bus travel which allows travel from 9.30am until last service of the day on bus, metro and rail in the West Midlands. Contact Centro on telephone 0121 214 7878 DLA, Disability Living Allowance. Applications can be made on a individual basis if hearing loss severely affects their life

9. Considerations When Communicating With People Who are Deaf People who use BSL (British Sign Language) as their first language may have limited understanding of English. People who are born deaf or who have lost their hearing during childhood may have not had the exposure to language which limits understanding of English Language. They may difficulty understanding written English; English is like a foreign language.

10. Considerations When Communicating With People Who are Deaf To help understanding consider the following: Let people know the topic of conversation first. Provide diagrams or pictures as an aid Keep language simple

11. Communicating With People Who are Deaf Or Hard of Hearing REMEMBER: Even if the person wears a hearing aid it doesn't mean that they can hear you; ask if they need to lipread you. Check with the person they have understood you, don't assume they have!

12. Communicating With People Who are Deaf Or Hard of Hearing -Make sure you have the listener's attention before you start speaking. -Let person know what you are talking about first -Don't exaggerate lip movements -Don't speak too slowly -Re-phrase rather than repeating. Write things down if you are not understood

13. Communicating With People Who are Deaf Or Hard of Hearing -Don't shout. It's uncomfortable for a hearing aid user and it looks aggressive -Find a suitable place to talk, with good lighting, away from noise and distractions. -Remember not to turn your face away from a deaf person. Always turn back to your listener so they can see your face. - Check that the person you're talking to can follow you. Be patient and take the time to communicate properly.

14. Communicating With People Who are Deaf Or Hard of Hearing -Use plain language and don't waffle. Avoid jargon and unfamiliar abbreviations. - Allow extra time as conversations may take longer.

15. Booking a BSL (British Sign Language) Interpretor Coventry & Warwickshire Sign Language Interpreting Service. Telephone no: 7652 0378 Address: City College, 50 Swanswell Street, Coventry, CV1 5DG

16. Useful Contacts RNID (Royal National Institute for the Deaf) www.rnid.org.uk Tel: 0808 808 0123 Tel: 0808 808 0123 Hearing Concern Link www.hearingconcernlink.org Tel:020 7700 8177