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I didn’t know there was so much I could do!

Our training courses seem to be plugging a large gap in awareness of deafblindness in older people, “I didn’t realise there were so many tools I could use”.  Participants are finding the mix of theory and practical makes the learning highly accessible “Extremely informative, full of useful scenarios”.

The confidence gained in our training is showing through feedback from participants: “I have learnt a lot and I will go out and show as many as I can what I have learnt”‘ “I feel that if a deafblind visitor came into our centre I would be more confident in approaching them for the first time than I have been because of practising the block alphabet”.

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“I will use this tomorrow with my Grandad!”

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Our highly practical Deafblind courses give participants a uniquely rounded understanding of the role and the skills required when guiding a deafblind person. After our training, not only can you say what a communicator guide is but you can do it too! The day builds on our deafblindness awareness foundation course that participants need to do before they can enrol onto this course.

Participants particularly enjoy the challenge of guiding and of being guided blindfold or wearing sight-loss simulation glasses! Navigating around a room, up and down stairs, in and out of doors, sitting at a dinner table and getting into a car – such a lot to learn you may think but the feedback says: “Enjoyed it all day!” “Very good”, “I can use all I have learned straight away”, “The training I had getting a deafblind person into a car I will use tomorrow with my Grandad who is deafblind”.

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Creating awareness

Our Foundation course in deafblindeness awareness is proving to be really popular with a wide range of people. Particpants come from a broad range of organisations in the community, including care service providers from private, public and voluntary sectors.

Feedback is positive: “I enjoyed the whole course”, “I found it all very interesting”, I enjoyed learning about the obstacles a deafblind person faces in every day life”, “Am looking forward to your other training”, “Gained knowledge and guidance around different types of deafblindness”, Comprehensive outline of deafblindness that I feel I can put in to action at work and in my own life tomorrow”, “Lots of learning styles catered for!”,

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Training for Real Change

21 sensory support and adult social care workers/managers/support workers attended our level 3 qualification Specialist Deafblind Assessor course.

Feedback has been very positive. Again, professionals said they cherished the opportunity to learn abut deafblindness together so they can take this back to their teams, and to “get to know how deafblind support is shaped across the region”.

HiVisUK sees enabling professionals to work together like this across the country as one of the keys to making real change for older people.

“I enjoyed both days. It really made me think of the affects of deafblindeness”. “It gave me a clear understanding of the Care Act 2014”. Many commented on how surprised they were at the prevalence of age acquired deafblindness in the older population; and how much the numbers will grow due to people living longer.

 

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Training the professionals

We recently delivered training to social workers, care workers, and managers from six local authorities. Participants were taking part in our unique Specialist Deafblind Assessor Level 3 training. Feedback has been really positive.

Many have commented on how useful it was to be able to share their new learning journey with peers from different authorities. This is one of our project aims – to bring key stakeholders together for real and lasting change in the north east region.

Others said it had given them “a sense of confidence in working with deafblind people”.

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An all-too-familiar story

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Colin, one of our deaf-blind friends lives about half a mile from his local town centre. There are roadworks throughout the town causing congestion and a large build up of traffic at most times of the day. Colin has just started using his white long cane and has made this journey lots of times before. He described a recent experience.

“I was working in to town as usual and went to cross the road via my usual crossing. I pressed the button and waited… nothing happened. Pressed it again, same result. I did not know at the time but the crossing system had been switched off as it interfered with the roadworks traffic controls and a black bag had been placed over the lights. After waiting for some time, I tried to cross the road by waving my cane in front of me but was unable to do so due to heavy traffic and motorists failing to let me cross.”

“Fortunately a good Samaritan came to my aid. A woman, I never found out who she was, standing on the opposite side of the road saw my dilemna. She marched out in to middle of the road, held out her arms and stopped the traffic.”

This highlights just one of the problems that our friends encounter on a day to day basis and highlights the need for greater awareness all round. It also underlines the need for more trained deafblind aware volunteers to support people like our friend Colin.

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Dorothy’s story

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Dorothy works for a local charity providing rehabilitation support, she visits elderly and visually impaired people in their homes to assess their needs.

Dorothy found our deafblind awareness and guiding training: “Amazing! Some of the simulation exercises were challenging but opened my eyes. It was staggering. I already use the training to help me improve my visits.”

“During my visits I am more aware of the signs of potential hearing loss. For example I recently visited a very independent minded, severely visually impaired man. Whereas before the training I would perhaps not have taken his hearing loss into account, as we have been focused on the visual impairment aspect, now I am in a better position to look at both sides. I think my visits following the Silver Dreams, IGH training are better. We are seeing more of our visually impaired clients have a hearing loss and so the learning we have achieved on the deafness side is especially useful and practical.”

“Since the training I have learnt not to make assumptions about how to approach or support a deafblind person. My lipreading skills have improved and I am more aware of how I am communicating.”

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Brian’s story

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Brian took early retirement a couple of years ago. Volunteering for Brian provides him with something to do that is stimulating, but above all else, means he can “help others make the most of their lives.” At the local association where he volunteers Brian drives the minibus for the activities group and sits on their funding committee. Brian heard about our training:

“I was interested partly because I was intrigued about the situation facing a deafblind adult. I then did your training in deafblind awareness and guiding which opened my eyes.”

“You seldom come across disability. Like many people I thought being blind meant having no sight at all, being deaf meant you could not hear anything. What grabbed my attention was the wide range of abilities that visually impaired people have despite their condition. What has been so rewarding has been the way people respond to your help. Doing this work makes you realise how many barriers there are for blind, deaf, and perhaps even more for deafblind people.”

“The training has broadened my mind and made me reflect on the things that could cause issues or make communication more difficult. I have learnt not to assume and that every blind, deaf, deafblind person is the same.”

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