Help for Hearing Impairment

Richie-from-the-Boro

Guardsman wrote: »

Served for 29 years so managed to get a bit further than that

So you achieved ' stick walker ' status .. a fully fledged drill pig ? or did you get to Warrant Officer ?

Anubis_2

Mrs_Arcanum wrote: »

Well done on the hearing aids. Another 50 something with hearing aids here. Are yours both with moulds or does one have a mould & one a thin tube? Both being moulds can cause echoing or head in a bucket sound, worth going back to get it sorted though.

This is the issue my FIL had at the start, although he still can't hear through them as he should. Hard work because we can't do sign language or write due to his blindness.

Guardsman wrote: »

Served for 29 years so managed to get a bit further than that

My husband served in the Scots Guards Regiment, not as many years though. All respect to you!

Guardsman

Richie-from-the-Boro wrote: »

So you achieved ' stick walker ' status .. a fully fledged drill pig ? or did you get to Warrant Officer ?

Drill Sergeants hold the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2 after I made WO1 I then skipped a couple of ranks and got commissioned as a Captain but ended my career holding the rank of Major.


Anubis thank you.

Savvy_Sue

Anubis wrote: »

This is the issue my FIL had at the start, although he still can't hear through them as he should. Hard work because we can't do sign language or write due to his blindness.

I think there is a fingerspelling alphabet which you can do on the other person's hands, IYSWIM. There is! And a whole organisation devoted to working with Deafblind people too - could be useful!

Worth saying that you probably won't have to spell everything out letter by letter: our lipreading teacher encourages us to fingerspell the first letter while speaking the word, to distinguish bury from marry etc.

amibovvered

I posted some time ago asking about Text Relay but was hesitating over buying a minicom or text phone because they are all around £2-300 from Connevan's etc. Anyway, just thought I'd post to say I bought a minicom off EBay a few weeks ago - brand new, never even been opened - for just over £30 including postage.

It was sitting by my phone for a few weeks because I hadn't plucked up the courage to use it (yeah, I know, pathetic!). Anyway, I had a family emergency last week and had to make a number of phone calls which involved me being given phone numbers over the phone to call - a non-starter for me - so I said I'd call them back using text relay. It was brilliant - names, numbers and addresses not only spelled out for me on-screen but held in the memory so I can refer to them again. Also in case anyone's wondering it counts as an 0870 number so is free on my BT calling plan.

My mum died in May and as you can imagine I had to make numerous phone calls cancelling various things and making the funeral arrangements etc and it was a nightmare, quite apart from being upset anyway, but in future I won't need to worry as much - such a relief. I know not everyone can get one cheap off EBay but now I've actually used it I think it probably would be worth the £250 for the peace of mind - I live alone now my mum's gone so no-one else to make calls for me and it was a real worry.

Anubis_2

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I think there is a fingerspelling alphabet which you can do on the other person's hands, IYSWIM. There is! And a whole organisation devoted to working with Deafblind people too - could be useful!

Worth saying that you probably won't have to spell everything out letter by letter: our lipreading teacher encourages us to fingerspell the first letter while speaking the word, to distinguish bury from marry etc.

Thanks for this. I think my MIL uses some of this sometimes if he is really struggling or she looses her voice through shouting. If we shout next to him he can hear mostly, gets some words mixed up, but continual shouting is not good. :eek:

naf123

Can I ask, is it possible for a profoundly deaf person to get higher mobility rate? What does the deaf person has to put on the form to get this rate?

thanks

Errata

I think it would depend on what their mobility problems were and what their care needs were because of that.

Savvy_Sue

I agree with Errata, and would add that if the deafness is compounded by or compounds other issues, then it may be possible, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

For example, I have 3 family members who are, I would say, profoundly deaf. Without their hearing aids in, they are deaf: with them in, you can make yourself understood by repeating everything 3 times and gesturing wildly, and 2 of them wouldn't hear a tannoy announcement on a train station WITH their aids in (not sure about the 3rd).

In 'the good old days', 2 of them were 'registered' disabled (the 3rd has lost their hearing since that was abolished), and one of them (a parent) had concessionary travel in London as a result.

But they can all get out and about on their own: it's just that using public transport (or even taxis) is a bit hit and miss, especially when anything changes.

However, I have known profoundly deaf people who also have severe balance problems: they can't walk around the house without holding onto things, and going out alone is impossible. But it's the balance issues which make it impossible, not the deafness on its own.

Guardsman

My dongle works perfectly well