How to Support Someone Who is Deaf or Hard of Hearing at Home

Living independently can present unique challenges for someone who is deaf or hard of hearing. Individuals with a hearing impairment may be unable to recognise certain sounds and alerts from their environment, potentially putting them at risk. 

Hearing loss is a common problem. There are approximately more than 12 million people in the UK alone who have some degree of hearing impairment. Hearing loss can be frustrating for both you and the person you care for. 

When caring for someone with a hearing difficulty, it’s important to take extra steps to ensure their health, safety and wellbeing is imperative. There are many practical ways to help minimise risks and make sure the service user feels as confident and as comfortable as possible.  

Home Security

When someone with a hearing impairment is living independently, there are a number of accessibility tools and adapted systems that they can make the most of. As an example, a smart doorbell with a video camera, two way audio and motion sensors can allow someone with hearing loss to see who is ringing their bell without having to open the door. 

The individual may also not be able to hear traditional alarm chimes for smoke or carbon monoxide, so these can be replaced with systems that support bright flashing lights and vibrating alert systems. These security systems can also be fitted to alert other emergencies too, such as frozen pipes and gas leaks. 

Keeping the home safe

When living with a sensory impairment, the layout of someone’s home can have a massive impact on an individual's comfort levels and confidence. When reviewing someone’s home, many small changes can help massively when supporting someone who is hard of hearing. For example, chairs and furniture can be arranged to keep all guests in line of sight of the individual, helping ensure that they can always lip read conversations. 

Small quality of life enhancements can go a long way in keeping an individual safe too, such as automatic taps. Without being able to hear running water, it is more likely that they may leave taps running, increasing the risk of falls, flooding and an expensive water bill. 

Planning for Emergencies 

When supporting someone to live independently at home, it’s also important to consider having a plan in place just in case an emergency arises. For someone with a hearing impairment, these are often called communication plans. 

As part of this planning process, it can be helpful to create a list of emergency contacts, either as accessible braille notes or as pre-saved contacts into a phone - this means that if the individual needs assistance, they can easily ask for support.

 Additionally, it can be helpful to register with local services, providing them information about the individual with the hearing impairment so they know how best to support them; using lights rather than shouting for attention, for example. Local fire services also offer “safe and well” home check ups for those more vulnerable. For a safe and well check, fire service team members assess the home, provide specialist equipment if need be and help draw up the most effective escape plan in case of an emergency. 

It can also be useful to create an easily accessible document which outlines the impairment and any other useful support information like favoured communication strategies. This can help the individual effectively communicate with strangers in an emergency situation. Some people also find that carrying a medical ID badge or lanyard can be helpful when communicating with unfamiliar and new people. 

When thinking about emergency planning, it can also be helpful to think about having essential items readily available, such as a go bag. If the individual relies a lot on technology, it can help to have spare, charged battery packs just in case. 

Building a Support Network 

For anyone living independently at home with a hearing impairment, having a positive network of friends, neighbours, family and professionals can help ensure that there’s always someone on hand to support if need be. This can go a long way to help you and the individual you care for feel relaxed, safe and valued. 

You could also help the individual find local support groups or social clubs to help them maintain their independence, and feel connected. 

There are a wide variety of tools that can help someone with a hearing impairment to communicate with people around them. As an example, the person you care for might use assistive listening devices such as hearing aids, cochlear implants or personal amplifiers to enhance their ability to communicate with others. 

There are several things which can help enhance what someone can hear too, depending on personal situations. Easy installable induction loop systems can help someone hear their TV or radio better. These systems can also be fitted to cars. Bluetooth technology can also allow several devices to be connected at any time, allowing someone with an impairment to easily switch between their devices. On top of this, there are a wide variety of free and paid applications for devices that can capture and transcribe speech, adding another way to communicate. In some circumstances, a service animal can provide support for someone suffering with a sensory impairment. 

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These are just some of the simple, practical strategies which can be put into place to support the person you can for to live confidently and securely at home, and give you peace of mind as their carer. 

Here at The SKA Group Ltd, our dedicated staff work hard to encourage the people we support to learn new skills, build meaningful relationships and achieve positive outcomes in their lives. We believe that with the right support in place, a fulfilling and independent life is possible for everyone. 

We are looking for caring, inspirational people who have a passion for helping others to join our team as support workers. When choosing a role in care, you are helping to make a difference whilst also pursuing a rewarding career. Get in touch with us today to see if we can match you to your perfect role.