Download Can your memory go completely?

DeafHear.ie, Sensory Resource Centre, justice Walsh Road, Letterkenny, Co Donegal
Tel: 074 9188252 | Fax/Text: 074 99188240 | Email: [email protected]
Can your
memory go
completely?
Earlier this year a series of informa on films were
launched to help inform the public, and
par cularly older people, about memory loss,
cogni ve func on and demen a in older people.
FreeDem Films were developed by the NEIL
Programme in Trinity College, Dublin with support
from GENIO.
DeafHear is aware that research has shown that
hearing loss in older people is linked to an
increased risk of demen a. We are also aware that
the Deaf Community have difficulty accessing health
informa on on these issues. As a result, DeafHear
have made these films available on our
website, with both sub tles and Irish Sign
Language presenta on.
Protect your Hearing during the
Festival Season
Le erkenny Newsle er
Spring 2015
€10
INISHOWEN OUTREACH
CLINIC
Monday:
Monday:
Times:
Unique Characteris cs
Prevents Hearing Loss
No More Annoying Ringing in your Ears
Music Quality remains Op mal thanks to
Alpine Acous c Filters TM
Conversa ons Can S ll Be Heard
To arrange an appointment
Phone: 074 9188252
Text: 086 8858194
E-mail:
le erkenny@dea ear.ie
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY!
Hardly Visible in the Ear.
LETTERKENNY STAFF MEMBERS
You can view the first of the FreeDem films:
‘Can your memory go completely. This short film
explains about different types of memory and that
people can be reassured that it is not possible to lose
your memory completely.
Other videos to view include:
Sandra Ivory
Regional Manager
Gerard Holmes
Community Resource Worker
x
I have trouble remembering things, does
this mean I’m ge ng DEMENTIA?
x When should I be concerned about my
MEMORY?
x How does your MEMORY WORK?
View the above videos on
www.DeafHear.ie
under FreeDem films
Mary McConnell Byron
Informa on Officer
HSE Launch Na onal Guidelines on Accessible Services
DeafHear welcomes the recent
publica on of the guidelines, and
believe that if they are implemented in
full, they will have a posi ve effect on
the health of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
people. DeafHear’s Head of Informa on said “Communica on is a
fundamental element in good health care. Deaf and Hard of Hearing people
need to be able to communicate fully with their doctors and nurses. That
means they need to be able to explain their health difficul es to the health
professionals AND they need the health professionals to communicate to
them all of the informa on on tests, diagnosis, treatment and follow–up
care.”
The guidelines provide clear prac cal advice for health professionals on
communica ng with Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. This includes asking
the person how best to communicate with them and providing assis ve
technology, such as listening devices, as required. For people who are sign
language users, the guidelines state “Pa ents and service users are en tled
to request and be provided with a qualified sign language interpreter”. The
guidelines also state that while the onus is on the service user to request an
interpreter, it is the responsibility of staff to make the arrangements. “These
guidelines clearly represent a major step forward in improving access to
health and social services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, and we look
forward to them being implemented in full”.
Can You Hear What I’m Saying?
DeafHear
Do you find it difficult to communicate
Informa on Evening
with your partner or family members?
Informa on Session
Maria Taylor
Family Support Worker
Declan Boyle
Social Worker
Please recycle me! Pass me along or leave me at your GP’s waiting room :)
Saturday
6th June 2015
Inishowen Partnership
Building
Cardonagh
11am-3pm at the
Mount Errigal Hotel,
Wednesday 27th May 7pm
Le erkenny,
Contact us for more details
No charge
Topics will include
1. Understanding Hearing Loss
2. Effects of Hearing Loss on Partners/ Family Members
3. Coping Skills and much more
Limited places available - Book as soon as possible
Tel: 074-9188252 Text: 086 8858194
ComReg:
New Genera on Text Relay Service
Do they make a difference to the lives of Deaf and Hard of
for the
Hearing people?
Donegal Team
ComReg is the statutory body with responsibility for the regulaƟon of the telecommunicaƟons and postal sectors.
DeafHear would like to welcome Declan Boyle our new Social
Worker who began with us in early March. Declan who comes
from Glen es has 15 years’ experience working in the social
care field in various se ngs. He worked for several years in
various Residen al Childcare units in Dublin, Wicklow and
Kildare ini ally as Residen al Childcare worker and
subsequently as a Deputy Manager. Before joining DeafHear
Declan worked as a social worker with young care leavers in
Derry providing support and helping service users to
develop and maintain the skills necessary to make the
transi ons from care to independent living.
It was established in 2002.
In 2009 the European Union introduced a new Direc ve known as Ar cle 23a, which states that people with
disabili es should have equivalence in access and choice to electronic and telecommunica on servcice. This
Direc ve was transposed into Irish Law in 2011. DeafHear have been involved in advoca ng and informing
ComReg on appropriate measures to meet the requirements of Ar cle 23a. The following is a list of some new
measures that have been introduced to help ensure people with disabili es, including Deaf and Hard of Hearing
people, can have equal access to telecommunica on services as the rest of the popula on:
x
New Staff Member
Declan is looking forward to his new role as Social Worker for
Deaf and Hard of Hearing people and is looking forward to the
challenge of developing the service provided by DeafHear in
the area.
Accessible Facility to Test Terminal Equipment: Companies who sell telephones -mobile /smart phones,
must offer a person who uses a hearing aid or cochlear implant the opportunity to test the phone in the shop
or have a returns policy that will allow the person to return the phone/equipment if it is not suitable or
compa ble with their specific hearing needs.
x
x
Accessible Complaints Procedures: Providers must be able to make a complaint or an enquiry in a number
of ways including by telephone, SMS, le er and email. They may also nominate a person to act on their
The introduc on of a ‘Next Genera on Text Relay’ (NGTR)
behalf, if they wish.
service is a real priority in ensuring equivalent access to
Accessible Top-up Facility for prepaid mobile phones: Before this was introduced, many people who used a
prepaid phone needed to call a number and follow the voice prompts to register their top-up payments. This
was obviously impossible for many Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, so they were o en faced with having to
x
telecommunica ons for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people.
Whether it is ordering a pizza, ringing a plumber, or
booking an appointment with your GP, a NGTR service is
ComReg have just completed a consulta on on a new text
introduc on of this customers could top-up by text...meaning people could now register their top-up
relay service, and hopefuly this will be introduced by
independently! Of course, this measure not only benei ted Deaf and Hard of Hearing people, but thousands
2016. The introduc on of a new NGTR service will be a
Facility to Register Requirements: This allows a person with a disability to register their requirements with
their service provider. This includes the right to nominate a third party (a rela ve or friend) to act on their
behalf, to register their preferred means of communica on and details of any special terminal equipment
they require. DeafHear is aware that many elderly people with hearing loss find it much less stressful to be
able to nominate a third party, par cularly those who cannot make voice calls, and are not familiar with
email, web chat etc. Other measures introduced are
Using a large bu on on the receiver you can easily
key step towards equivalant access for Deaf and Hard of alternate between listening to speech, the TV and
other sounds. High quality noise-free sound
Hearing people. To learn more about Text Relay Services,
transmission through induc ve neck loop, cuts out
go to: www.DeafHear.ie
background noise when used in conjunc on with
T Coil hearing aids or CI receivers TV 2510–NL
Wireless amplified hearing system. High quality
Donegal Hard of Hearing Group
noise–free sound transmission through induc ve neck
loop, cuts out background noise when used in
conjunc on with T Coil hearing aids or CI receivers
Accessible Directory Enquiries
Accessible Billing
Accessible Informa on
Since ComReg required service providers to introduce these measures, DeafHear have found that the number of
difficul es and complaints clients have brought to our a en on has decreased significantly, especially in rela on
to the purchase of telephones and dealing with queries and complaints. We commend ComReg on the
introduc on of these measures, as they have made a real difference to the lives of Deaf and Hard of Hearing
people!
Price: €141.00
Members Price: €126.00
badly needed by Deaf and Hard of Hearing people.
ask the shopkeeper or a stranger on the street to register their top-up payment for them! Following the
of hearing people now top-up by text every week!
Amplicomms TV
2500Headset System
Everyone enjoying lunch in
Café Blend recently.
The Hard of Hearing Group meet socially on a monthly
basis from 10am - 1pm in the DeafHear Resource Centre
for a chat , ac vi es and some mes a fun game of Bingo
If you wish to join in, contact the Le erkenny Office
There are useful volume and balance controls on the
receiver and on the base you can set the tone to your
preferred se ng. As it uses a radio signal,
rather than infrared you don’t have to have a clear
path between you and the thing you are listening to.
This means you could use it to listen to the stereo
while you’re in the garden, or con nue listening to the
TV while you pop to the kitchen for a drink.