Help for Hearing Impairment

janene74

Hi i couldnt help but noticed as i read down the various items here.
I come from northern ireland. Ive been deaf from birth and as a result i was refered by my doctor to the social services.
I in the long run ended up with a social worker for the deaf. They came out and over the years i have been given many devices free. Flashing door bell. vibrating alarm clock. vibrating baby monitor. vibrabing smoke alarm.various home phones. firstly ones with loud volume settings then on to text phones. these are phones that have a keyboard and i type and it is relayed via people in liverpool (i think) to the person you want. they speak there message and then the typetalk staff type it to you and you you get it on your phone. This is a fantastic piece of device i must say. I use it when i am making a call and i want to make sure i get all the details.
oh and i forgot a have had a loop system installed in my living room and when i switch my hearing aids to t i can pick up my television up as clear as a bell. you can adjust it to suit yourself on the loopbox. and have the television on normal sound for every one else in the room.
Now for all those that have just got hearing aids . RNID which i volunteer for over in northern ireland have a great service . Its called hearing aid befrienders. these people go voluntarly to peoples homes and talk with them and help them to be set at ease with there new aid. I myself sometimes have to deal with clients that have maybe problems inserting moulds into there ears. i show them the best way to put it in. maybe others have problems with maybe the sound quality being poor. we check the aid and see if there is any thing wrong with it and the tubing etc. we are there to support people as the befrienders all have had the same experience ourselves and want to help others. This service is free as these people volunteer to do this work. Although RNID do pay travel expenses to them VIA lottery funds etc.
Well folks i think i have put a good wee bit down on here. but ill keep my eye on the boards and see what else is on and if any one else has questions that i might be able to help with.
Hope that this post helps although i bet there are loads of spelling mistakes etc. LOL
janene74:A

rosieben

Janene, what a great idea to have hearing aid befrienders. Wish I'd had someone like that when I first wore aids.Those first few months were so traumatic and although the hospital staff were very good, they just didnt have time to give the support that would have helped me. I'm waiting for a SS appointment to see if they can help with cost of a small loop system for my living room, and maybe a better phone.

rosieben

I've recently been diagnosed with Menieres, just wondering if this means I wont be able to fly to my dd in Oz

Anyone here have Menieres and fly ok? - in a plane obviously

I've googled and got different answers so I'm hoping MSE can help

Savvy_Sue

Did you find Meniere's Society?

Of course the answer may be 'it depends ...'

rosieben

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Did you find Meniere's Society?

Of course the answer may be 'it depends ...'

yes, I think that's going to be it really I suppose I'll have to discuss with my doctor and be advised by her.

Thanks for the link Sue, I found them yesterday and had a good read; they have loads of information (some good, some a bit scary)

Errata

rosieben wrote: »

I've recently been diagnosed with Menieres, just wondering if this means I wont be able to fly to my dd in Oz

Anyone here have Menieres and fly ok? - in a plane obviously

I've googled and got different answers so I'm hoping MSE can help

I've had it for donkeys years and it's never given me any problems on long haul, short haul or helicopter. Although I'm not sure what would have happened if they'd told me to put my head between my knees :rotfl:

black_paw

snap with Janene74, i am deaf and have 2 Otican Spirit 3 hearing aids , i got referred from hearing centre to social services , who registered me deaf , got free bus pass now as well. i was given lots of bits free from s/s to help me they are from the booklet "Solutions " from RNID. https://www.rnid.org.uk/shop i think this is link to shop .i got a bellman alarm clock , with a pad that goes under pillow that vibrate's when phone rings , door bell goes or smoke alarm goes. a portable shakewake alarm clock. a smoke alarm system .with pager you carry a round i.e bath room it flashes and makes high pitch noise if door bell , phone, smoke alarm. goes. mini tech listener bit like the generation game but no cuddlery toy ! lol. but this has made mega difference to me ,as i can safely live in my own flat .

rosieben

Errata wrote: »

I've had it for donkeys years and it's never given me any problems on long haul, short haul or helicopter. Although I'm not sure what would have happened if they'd told me to put my head between my knees :rotfl:

Thanks, Errata, it's good to know, I hate flying anyway but been psyching myself up to do a long haul

Greta

lozzer90 wrote: »

After reading this i thought i would go to my local swimming baths to see about swimming lessons, they told me i would have to pay £40 a lesson because it would have to be a 1 to 1 lesson, i think that is disgusting

No! Simple DDA issue, this kind of suggestion is against the law. Disabled person should not be treated less favourably, etc. Lessons - you deserve adjustments, including writing things down .... or if appropriate being offered lessons on a 1 to 1 basis ... at the same price as if you joined a class.

But depends on reasonable adjustments, and factored in that includes assets of whoever is running the classes.

Greta

Okay, I have a question. Why is this called a hearing impaired thread? What's wrong with deaf or hard of hearing?

Impaired = broken. No thanks. Since when was it okay to measure people by others. Would it be okay to call women, male impaired? Black people, white impaired? etc. You get the picture. All those groups might encounter discrimination or disadvantage.

So just why is it perfectly okay to call deaf people, hearing impaired?