Sensory Loss Team - hearing loss

A number of people experience a degree of hearing loss at some stage in their life and there are a variety of causes of this. If you are experiencing difficulty with your hearing it is important to seek medical advise from your GP (doctor),

If you have had a medical diagnosis and have had a hearing test within the past 5 years, but are experiencing difficulty with everyday tasks then the Sensory Loss Team may be able to help you.

CAN YOU HEAR YOUR SMOKE ALARM? It is vital that you can hear your smoke alarm at night when hearing aid/s are removed. To test this, you will need someone to activate the test button on your smoke alarm. close your bedroom door remove your hearing aids if you have them lie on your bed listen Can you hear your smoke alarm? are you a deep sleeper? do you sleep on the ear with better hearing? would you hear the alarm when you are asleep? If you feel that you are risk please contact us as we may be able to assist you.

Hearing loss clinics

Our Sensory staff can offer support and information about hearing loss for you and your family or carer. They offer a free and confidential one to one appointment at a venue in your local area (you are welcome to bring a someone along with you). Clinics are often held in Audiology venues.

As well as offering information and advice on issues like understanding how hearing aids work and overcoming difficulties hearing the telephone, they can help family and friends learn the best way to communicate with you.

Sensory staff can also demonstrate the use of some specialist equipment and supply details of where you can purchase these. They can also advise on accessing support around welfare benefits, employment, local social/support groups and hearing loss registration.

Anyone over the age of 18 years old who has a hearing loss is entitled to an appointment in a Hearing loss clinic

Hearing loss home visits

Your needs and eligibility will be assessed by a member of Sensory Staff, either in a hearing loss clinic, Personal Assessment Form or via a telephone screening.

If you meet the Fair Access to Care (FACS) eligibility criteria then you may wish to have a home visit for further practical/emotional support, advice and in some circumstances loan of specialist equipment. You will have an assessment to find out what your individual needs are so the Sensory staff can create a plan to meet these needs.

Some examples of the issues that they can help with are listed below.

Communication

• Using the telephone
• hearing the TV
• one to one conversations or dealing with group situations
• learning to lip-read and onward referral to classes

Information

• local and national support groups/organisations
• transport options for disabled persons
• domestic services
• how to become registered as deaf or hard of hearing

Equipment

• to help you use the telephone
• to watch TV with the volume suitable for others
• to hear the smoke alarm at night when you don’t have hearing aids in

Social contact

• information on local support groups, social groups and befriending services - as people with a hearing loss can easily become isolated
• support to family and friends to learn methods of clear communication - so they understand how best to help interactions with the person with hearing loss

Onward referrals

• specialist benefits advisors or employment advisors
• Occupational Therapy - for help with adaptations to the home, home delivery food services or the local support groups/teams.

If you have not been seen by a Communication Rehabilitation Officer (CRO) then you might be asked to complete a Personal Assessment Form (PAF) so we are able to establish whether or not you meet the eligibility criteria for this service.

Hearing aids

Please note that the Sensory Loss Teams do not assess people for hearing aids nor are they able to provide any adaptations/repairs/new batteries. For assistance with/ advice on your hearing aids please contact the Audiology Department that issued them to you.