Frequently asked questions
Here you will find some commonly asked questions. Brief answers are given below - click on More to read the full answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is deafblind? What is the definition of deafblindness?
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A person is regarded as deafblind if their combined sight and hearing impairment cause difficulties with communication, access to information and mobility. A person does not have to be totally deaf and totally blind to be considered deafblind - indeed many deafblind people have some residual vision and/or hearing.
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More »How do you communicate with a deafblind person?
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Deafblind people use a variety of methods of expressive and receptive communication, which is often dependent on the age of onset of their sensory impairments, and the degree of sensory impairment.
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More »What aids and equipment are available for deafblind people?
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The aids and equipment suitable for a deafblind person will vary tremendously according to an individual's degree of sight and hearing impairment, and their own circumstances and needs.
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More »I have just had a deafblind person referred to my caseload. What services are available for them?
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Sense offers a wide range of specialist services for deafblind people, such as one-to-one support, residential and day services. What services are suitable for an individual will depend on their age, whether they were born deafblind or have acquired their disabilities, any other disabilities they may have, as well as numerous other factors such as their living circumstances.
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More »I am working with an elderly lady whose sight and hearing are fading badly - what services might be appropriate for her?
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It depends on her living and other circumstances, but if the lady wants to remain in her own home, one of the services she might benefit from is a Communicator-Guide - a trained support worker to help her get out of the house, maintain her independence, and reduce her isolation.
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More »I am working with a family with a severely disabled child, who need some support. How can Sense help?
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Sense can provide a variety of services to support both the family and the child; these include support and advice, advice on and assessments of educational needs and suitable placements, respite, or home-based intervention (one-to-one support).
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More »I am working on the transitional plan for a young person who has both a sight and hearing impairment and additional learning disabilities, what are the options for them when they leave school?
More »Our social workers are increasingly working with people who have a dual sensory impairment. How can Sense assist?
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Sense's Training and Consultancy Service offers expert advice, information and training in a wide variety of areas related to deafblindness. These include deafblind awareness, assessment, communication and service development.
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More »The Deafblind guidance requires us to identify deafblind people. We know that our existing registers are not adequate to do this, but where do we start?
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Deafblind people are largely a "hidden" group. About 75% of deafblind people are over the age of 75, with acquired dual sensory loss, and tend to be seen in terms of their age and not their sensory disability. Many deafblind people may already be known to a variety of agencies, but not recognised or recorded as deafblind/dual sensory impaired.
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