A LOCAL hearing centre is appealing to the Crewe community to support the town’s deaf or hard of hearing population during this year’s national Deaf Awareness Week (May 19 - 26).
Specsavers Hearing Centre on Market Street is supporting the UK Council on Deafness’ annual campaign, which this year focuses on the message 'Equality in Communication for All’, and is committed to raising local awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by the deaf or hard of hearing.
According to the UK Council on Deafness, one in six people in the UK are deaf or hard of hearing.
Nearly 3.7million people of working age have hearing loss, 135,000 of which are severely or profoundly deaf. Furthermore, over 45,000 children in the UK are deaf.
Matthew McDonnell, hearing director at Specsavers Crewe says: ‘It’s vital that everybody understands the challenges faced by those with hearing difficulties, challenges which often leave people feeling frustrated, embarrassed, isolated and unconfident.
‘The majority of those who are partially deaf or hard of hearing can be assisted with the help of a hearing aid, but it’s thought that up to a million people who would benefit from wearing one remain undiagnosed, having failed to get their hearing regularly checked.
‘This Deaf Awareness Week, we’re backing the 'Equality in Communication for All’ campaign. This is a tremendous opportunity to celebrate the positive attitudes to deafness, and encourage even better social inclusion.’
‘Remember it’s important to have hearing checks as regularly as you would have a sight test, which is recommended every two years. This becomes even more important past the age of 55 when age related hearing loss is most likely to occur.’
To mark Deaf Awareness Week, the UK Council on Deafness is sharing the following advice to ensure people with hearing loss or deafness are treated equally. When speaking with a deaf person it is important to:
· Face the person when you are speaking to them, don’t turn away
· Speak clearly without shouting
· Repeat yourself if necessary
· Never say ‘it doesn’t matter’
· If that person doesn’t understand you, don’t give up
· Write it down or draw a picture
For further information or to make an appointment for a hearing test, call Specsavers in Crewe on 01270 250 707.
For more information about Deaf Awareness Week visit http://www.deafcouncil.org.uk/deaf-awareness-week.htm
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