Hsc_Sensory_Loss

SSMU21] Introductory awareness of sensory loss SSMU21.1 - Understand the factors that impact on an individual with sensory loss and steps that can be taken to overcome these 1.1 Describe how a range of factors have a negative and positive impact on individuals with sensory loss Sensory loss sight loss hearing loss deaf blindness Factors communication information familiar layouts and routines mobility Approximately 95 per cent of the information about the world around us comes from our hearing and sight. We read books, magazines and correspondence, we talk to each other face to face or on the telephone and we listen to our music on the television or the radio. The environmental information lets us know what is going on – body language and facial expressions, conversations, and so on. To understand the world around us we rely a great deal on our senses. When people have any sensory loss, then their mobility and communication are greatly affected. This can lead to increased loneliness and even isolation in some cases. Many blind and partially sighted people lose the ability to see gestures and facial expressions, which are important parts of communication. It becomes difficult for them to know when someone is speaking to them or even when the other person has walked away. Written communication can be difficult for a person with low vision. Sometimes a larger font is needed, a different coloured paper for colour contrasting or the information on a disk or tape. Communication by email or text can be accessed by having speech programs installed on a computer or mobile telephone. familiar layouts around their house is important so it makes moving from one room to another easier e.g not to move furniture around or leaving cupboard doors open or put things down on their floor A deaf or hard of hearing person may use Sign Language to communicate, each country has their own form of sing language in this country (Britain) the British sign language (BSL) was officially recognised as a language in 2003 by the government. Under the Disability Discrimination Act, because Deaf people have the right to have access to information in British Sign Language if they are from this country. But also deaf people from other countries also have the right to be spoken to in their regional style of sign language. Because treating them equally will protect their diversity due their Ethnicity. Also a number of devices have been produced to help the deaf and hard of hearing to live normal lives. Such as Hearing aids, The Mincom machine and other telecommunication devises which have a display panel built in and also a key pad similar to a computer key pad, there are also cochlear implants available for people with total hearing loss to help them hear sounds by bypassing the ear and sending sounds straight to the auditory nerve. Deafblindness is a unique and extremely complex disability that often requires specialist communication methods and and systems being introduced to the person and those around them to enable communication to take place Deafblindness has adverse effects on all areas of development, in particular the language acquisition process, conceptual development, motor development, behaviour and personality of a person People who are deafblind can generally be separated into two groups Congenital Deafblindness - People who were born with a hearing and vision impairment. This category may also include individuals who are born hearing – sighted, but who become deafblind through accident or illness within the first months of their lives. The important factor being that they become deafblind before they had the opportunity to gain formal language skills. Acquired Deafblindness - People who develop deafblindness later in life. Three combinations are possible: a) Individuals who are born blind and later develop a hearing Impairment b) Individuals who are born deaf and later develop vision Impairment. c) Individuals who are born sighted and hearing, but later develop a Vision and hearing impairment. It is essential that we understand the differing needs of people with sensory loss and how I can improve on my work practices to support and empower my client as There are significant numbers of people in the UK who have a sensory loss. This can mean sight loss, hearing loss or dual sensory loss. the person With a single sensory loss normally relies on the other senses to compensate 1.2identify steps that can be taken to overcome factors that have a negative impact on individuals with sensory loss improve understanding and raise awareness of issues relating to sensory impairment with solutions to enable people to manage their daily lives and remain independent Individuals with a sensory loss can be disabled by the attitude of not being capable. This message can come from society, or from the person themselves. Many people live a full and satisfying life with a disability, as long as they see it as a challenge, and take steps to rise to the everyday challenges presented, Other people place limitations on individuals with sensory loss by, for example, believing that blind people can't possibly manage alone or that deaf people are funny because of the way they talk or that if they shout the deaf person will hear them etc. These attitudes and beliefs can prevent the individual being included in society as an equal and advise on social groups and days out in their area assist with mobility, communication and daily living skills and can also get them advise on education and even employment and can provide equipment to improve everyday living if they wanted this. 1.3Explain how individuals with sensory loss can be disabled by attitudes and beliefs discrimination is one of the biggest problem in today’s society other peoples beliefs and attutudes can knock their confidence and make them become isolated and lonely and therefore unable to achieve their goals or a simple task like going out to the shops or making a trip to visit friends, making them feel vunerable and anxious about their abilities, 1.4Identify steps that could be taken to overcome disabling attitudes and beliefs Raising community awareness regarding disability is a key component in creating more welcoming and inclusive communities. Some of the barriers that have been recognised in creating welcoming and inclusive communities are physical and attitudinal barriers Overcoming disabling beliefs requires that you replace each of them with new and more empowering ways of thinking this can take advising and encouraging my client and therapy, adult day services, respite and employment services and Over time the focus will be on what they can achieve rather on what they cant, and working with the wider community to create a more accessible, accepting and inclusive society ssmu21.2 Understand the importance of effective communication for individuals with sensory loss 2.1a outline what needs to be considered when communicating with individuals with: Sight loss specifies that healthcare facilities must make reasonable accommodations for people who are blind. Accommodations may include providing information in large print, audiotape, or Braille formats. Or it may include having a person available to read information aloud and making sure we are in a quiet room 2.1bHearing loss It will also help if all staff members learn some of the basics about hearing loss, for example: All deaf or partially deaf people have different communication needs. People with a hearing impairment do not all feel the same way about their disability. Learning basic sign language is helpful, but its use is only appropriate for people who are completely deaf. Or have an interpreter if possible Most people with impaired hearing will have some residual hearing, but there are no outward signs of how much they are able to hear. The amount they can hear may fluctuate depending on environmental factors and the individual's emotional or physical state. Most people with impaired hearing communicate orally. Their individual language levels may not be an indicator of how well they are able to hear. People who have had a cochlear implant usually cannot hear anything without the use of their speech processor Make sure you have the person’s attention. This could include saying the person’s name, getting into their line of vision, waving at them or touching them on the shoulder. A person with hearing loss needs to see the other person’s face when having a conversation. Make sure your face is well lit. Don’t stand in front of a window, for example, because the back-light shadows your face. Speak clearly, but don’t exaggerate lip and mouth movements – this makes speech reading harder You may need to move to a quieter location. Allow the person to see your face directly at all times. For example, don’t look around or drop your head, don’t eat or smoke, and don’t cover your face with your hand. Keep eye contact. Don’t talk to them if they are walking away from you, or as you walk out of the door or from another room Sometimes, the person with hearing loss can’t understand what you’re saying. Sometimes, the person with hearing loss can’t understand what you’re saying. Don’t be embarrassed, uncomfortable or frustrated. Don’t make the person feel as though they are the problem. The person may need time to adjust if you have an accent. Be patient Rather than repeat the missed phrase word for word, say it another way. Use visual cues, like gestures. If you still can’t communicate, offer to write it down. If they prefer that you don’t write it down, ask them what they would like you to do 2.1c Deaf blindness There are many ways of communicating with a deaf-blind person., This list is just to help familiarize you with some of the ways beforehand. Before reading the list, please note that most deaf-blind people have some usable vision or hearing. Because a deaf-blind person can't compensate for the loss of one sense with the other, even a partial loss of both senses can be considered deaf-blind. So a "deaf-blind" person might be totally blind and hard of hearing, totally deaf and partially sighted, or may be close to totally blind and close to totally deaf but have some usable vision and hearing. Generally people that are only a bit vision- and hearing-impaired are referred to as vision-impaired/hard-of-hearing. But for someone who is totally one and partially the other, it's not uncommon to be considered deaf-blind. The variation in functional vision/hearing also means that many deaf-blind people use more than one form of communication depending on the situation. Someone who can hear speech in total silence may need tactile signing in a noisy place, and someone who can see signing in bright light may be totally blind in the dark and need to receive it tactually, etc. Adjust your communication method with them based on their needs. If you're not sure, let them tell you what they need for communication Because of the wider definition of deaf-blindness, some deaf-blind people can use auditory or visual ways to communicate, but just need these ways to be modified for their poor vision or hearing. A good number of deaf-blind people can use some vision or hearing in some situations but are functionally totally deaf-blind in other situations. Some deaf-blind people are truly completely deaf and completely blind and therefore can only use tactile methods of communication in all situations. 1) Print on palm This method involves printing letters on the palm of the person's hand. The way it works is that you use your finger as a writing utensil and write on the palm of their hand. When doing this, draw big, clear block letters. Make each letter fill up the whole palm. It takes a lot of concentration and effort on the deaf-blind person's (for most people), so make the letters as clear as possible when doing this. Small letters or cursive letters are nearly impossible to distinguish by touch. Though this may seem obvious, remember to write on their palm and not your own. 2) The Deaf-Blind Manual alphabet The Deaf-Blind Manual alphabet is a modified version of the British Manual Alphabet, or the hand shapes used to finger spell in British Sign Language. This method can be found all over the Internet and learned quickly. It's just 26 hand shapes to indicate each letter of the alphabet. The original British alphabet uses two hands to form each letter, but the Deaf-Blind alphabet is modified so that you move your hand on the deaf-blind person's passive hand. Depending on where and how you make contact with their hand, it forms a letter. When finger spelling, make sure to do it clearly because many of the letters feel the same with sloppy signing. Better clarity than speed 3) Large Print Notes For someone who is totally deaf and legally blind, they might be able to see enough to see big letters on paper. In this case you might exchange notes on paper just as you would with a deaf-sighted person, but you would need to write or type in large bold letters. Let the person tell you what is easiest for them to read (all caps, bold, which font works best on a computer, etc.) 4) Speech with amplification For someone who is totally blind and hard of hearing, they might still be able to understand speech through a hearing aid or FM system, which are both ways of amplifying speech. An FM system only amplifies, which makes speech louder but not clearer. Therefore several people talking in a room at once or a lot of background noise will still make it hard or impossible for the blind/hard-of-hearing to understand. Hearing aids are custom-made to the person's hearing loss so they tend to improve speech comprehension much more effectively. However, it can still be hard to make sense of sound in a noisy area 5) Tactile finger spelling Some deaf-blind people like to use what is called the Rochester Method, tactually. This is where you finger spell the American Sign Language (or whatever other sign language is used locally) into their hand. This obviously requires knowing the sign language alphabet. Don't assume all deaf-blind people know sign language. (Some went deaf later in life and haven't learned sign language.) But if both you and they know finger spelling, this method can be used. Keep in mind to let the deaf-blind person choose where to place their hand to interpret your finger spelling. Resist the temptation to correct their hand placement or hold their hand. They know where to hold their hand to understand, not you. 6) Close range sign language Some deaf-blind people use full blown sign language at a close range, most commonly deaf-blind people who grew up or have spent a lot of time in a Deaf community using sign language for communication, and have lost some vision but still have enough to see signing up close. This obviously requires you knowing sign language. So if you do, you can sign to them, closer than usual. 7) Tracking sign language This is used most often by deaf-blind people who grew up or have spent a long time using sign language and now have tunnel vision and can only see in the central part of their field. The way this works is that you sign normally, but let them hold your wrists to ensure your hands stay within their visual field. Sometimes this is done by you standing farther away than usual and signing within a small space so as to stay within their tunnel vision field Please remember that not all deaf-blind people know sign language or braille, or they might not feel fluent enough to use it as a method of communication. Braille doesn't come with blindness, nor sign language with deafness. They come with practice and usage. Let them offer which method to use so you don't have to play a guessing game. Another thing to keep in mind is that some deaf-blind people can speak and some can't. Some can speak but prefer not to because they have trouble making themselves understood. Speech skills don't necessarily relate to hearing loss, so just because someone speaks well doesn't mean they hear pretty well. Generally speaking, people that went deaf before or around the time they started learning to speak have much more obstacles to overcome in terms of learning to speak. If they've gone deaf before/around learning to speak, they've had to rely on visual or tactile methods to learn speech, which is a lot harder to do than learning it by ear. Despite the added difficulty, some pre-lingually deaf people have achieved great speech skills and you might not even be able to tell they're deaf/hard-of-hearing based on their speech. On the other hand, late-deafened people have learned to speak before they lost some or all of their hearing, so in general, these people have normal or close to normal speech. Generally late-deafened people have a harder time with volume control but otherwise maintain clear speech. For people that have become progressively deaf over a long period of time, they might have been able to keep their speech up, or they might have started to forget what words sound and feel like and might start slurring or mispronouncing words. The important thing to remember is that each person has a different ability in terms of speech. If the deaf-blind person uses speech, they can reply to you that way (unless you require a different method yourself), and if not, they will use other methods such as communicating back to you the same way you communicate to them (typing, finger spelling, signing, etc.) 2.2describe how effective communication may have a positive impact on the lives of individuals with sensory loss positive and effective communication is vital for some one with sensory loss to build good relationships and successfully increasing confidence trust and respect and getting to know their needs Poor communication techniques can be the reason for a relationship breakdown. With a few fundamental techniques, we can learn how to communicate effectively for a positive outcome, How we say things, not what we say, relates to the true message. When communicating with someone, maintain eye contact and an open posture as this communicates openness and that you are listening to what he has to say. Avoid crossing your arms, hunching your shoulders and leaning away from someone this body language is a form of negative communication even if they have poor eye sight all this is still important and people can sense attitude and feeling, Allowing each other to speak and be heard is a vital part of effective and positive communication. Be attentive and listen carefully with respect. 2.3Explain how information can be made accessible to individuals with sensory loss being aware of what degree of sensory loss my client has and Ensuring information written, face to face brail and language interpreters are accessible and delivered to my clients with sesory loss, I would access info from organisations such as RNIB, NDCS, sense, deaf blind and many more I could contacts for info to help my clients Ssmu21.3 Know the main causes and conditions of sensory loss 3.1 outline the main causes of sensory loss The main cause of sensory loss is aging, as we age our senses become less and less. Congenital sensory loss meaning we are born with it. Sensory loss can also be caused by an illness or by having an accident. 3.2 explain the difference between congenital and acquired sensory loss congenital sensory loss is when the person has the sensory loss from birth where as acquired sensory loss is when the sensory loss has developed as is the result result of ageing, serious injury or illness 3.3state what percentage of the general population is likely to have sensory loss The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) report that there are approximately 2 million visually impaired people in Britain. The majority (85%) of people with sight problems are aged over 65. Only half are eligible for registration with Social Services but only around a third, are actually registered There are over 2.7 million people in the UK with a combined sight and hearing loss ranging from minimal to severe. The majority have acquired this dual sensory loss in adult life and are over 60 years of age. An estimated 24,0002 are deafblind and the group most affected by difficulties with communication, access to information and mobility. Social Care for Deafblind Children and Adults. As there is no central register of deafness, it is difficult to say accurately how many deaf people there are however a number of estimates exist Action on Hearing Loss (The Royal National Institute for Deaf People RNID estimates that 1 in 6 people in the UK have a hearing loss. estimate that up to 1 in 5 have a hearing loss may be more realistic, considering the ageing population and the heavy industrial past. Based on the 1 in 6 ratio - The total number of people of all ages with deafness ranging from mild to profound would be in excess of 800,000. From this figure - there would be over: 760,000 hard of hearing people 10,600 deafened people (those who become profoundly deaf either suddenly or progressively 5,300 Deaf British Sign Language BSL users Ssmu21.4 Know how to recognise when an individual may be experiencing sight and/or hearing loss 4.1a outline the indicators and signs of: Sight loss, indicators of a vision loss will also vary with each individual. The following behavior changes might indicate that an older individual is having difficulty seeing: Changes in viewing habits, like holding material very close to the face or at an "odd" angle, squinting or sitting unusually close to the television. Changes in the ability to recognize familiar faces. Changes in grooming habits, like stains on clothing, mismatched clothes, uncombed hair. Changes in orientation or increased confusion especially in familiar areas. Hesitancy in movement, stumbling, a shuffling gait or dragging the feet or changes in stance. Changes in the ability to locate "small" objects, such as jewelry, or keys. Changes in eating habits due to increased difficulty in preparing food. The anxiety caused by difficulties in seeing food on the plate or on a table may lead an individual to eat less, appear less interested in food, or prefer to eat alone 4.1bDeaf blindness Hearing and sight loss levels vary between individuals who are deafblind Some people who are deafblind will have experienced a sudden and total loss of hearing, which can occur as a result of infection or injury. Others will experience a gradual deterioration of hearing. People with hearing loss may experience the following: speech and other noises sounding muffled and indistinct an inability to understand conversation when there is background noise needing to turn up the volume on the television or radio asking others to speak more loudly, clearly, or slowly symptoms of hearing impairment Loss of vision Some people with deafblindness may have a condition, such as diabetic retinopathy, that causes gradual blindness. Diabetic retinopathy is a condition related to diabetes, where excess levels of glucose in the blood cause damage to the blood vessels in the eyes 4.1cHearing loss Behavioral responses to a hearing loss will vary with the individual. The following behavior changes might indicate that a person is having difficulty hearing: Changes in the volume of the television, or radio, especially an increase in volume and sitting closer than usual Leaning closer to the speaker during conversations, or cupping the hand over the outer ear Difficulty understanding speech on the telephone Difficulty understanding conversations in a noisy environment, such as a restaurant Inappropriate responses to questions or comments unrelated to the general discussion Repeated requests to speak louder Difficulty in the ability to hear high pitched sounds like door bells, a ringing telephone, a smoke detector or the inability to locate the source of a sound. 4.2 Explain where additional advice and support can be sourced in relation to sensory loss. I would be able to access info from specialist services with local council, NHS, national charity such as RNIB and Action on hearing loss, SSMU21.5Know how to report concerns about sensory loss 5.1 describe to whom and how concerns about sight and / or hearing loss can be reported I would report my concerns to my supervisor and manager and they would contact the family and family doctor, who will then ask questions, and possibly refer you to a specialist