Deafness is sometimes referred to as the “hidden disability” 
and in UK society is a condition which is often ignored and little understood by the hearing population.  

The main consequence of deafness is that it presents a barrier to the usual forms of communication in a hearing-orientated society.

All service users who have an involvement with Hayfield are individuals in their own right, with their own particular abilities and needs. 

However, the one common factor which they all share is that they have some type or degree of deafness.

Communication is the foundation of human interaction and is essential in all care settings.  

Hayfield staff are trained and experienced in utilising the most effective medium of communication with each individual service user, be it through sign language, lip speaking, mime and gesture, text or pictorial display. 

For instance can you tell who is the deaf person in the image above ?

• People who are born deaf have no experience of speech, and usually have problems with spoken and written language.

• However not all deaf people experience the same difficulties in communication.  

• A deaf person may use sign language as their principal form of communication.  

• People who become deaf later in life tend to regard themselves as disadvantaged ‘hearing’ people who then have to overcome their loss by lip reading or written text.  

• Hearing aids may provide some benefit to people who experience certain types of hearing impairment, but are not a “cure” for deafness.

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Should you need any further details please contact a member of the Hayfield team who will be happy to answer your enquiry or obtain further information for you.

Hayfield Ltd
Last modified: April 01, 2008 13:44