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Hearing Loss Support Service
The Hearing Loss Support Service was developed in the early 1980s in response to increasing demands for technical aids in the home. Leeds was one of the few service providers at the time to recognise this need, and the Service started life in a small office manned by just one member of staff, offering basic equipment for the needs of deaf and hard of hearing people.
Today, it is a busy team, manned by one part-time and two full-time members of staff. The staff all have extensive experience and understanding of hearing loss. The team also has its own in-house electrician and offers a wide range of services to over 125,000 deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind people of all ages in the metropolitan area of Leeds. In addition, one of the members of staff is also a qualified social worker for hard of hearing people - thus expanding the quality service role of the Hearing Loss Support Service even further.
The main services we offer are:
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Demonstrating advising, providing and installing specialist equipment
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Access equipment such as loud/flashing light doorbells
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Telecommunication equipment such as alerting bells and flashing units
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Television/audio equipment such as loop systems and personal amplifier
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Alerting devices such as baby alarms and alarm clocks.
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Specialist smoke alarms. The department works closely with the West Yorkshire Fire Services to ensure the implementation of this services for all profoundly deaf, deafblind and vulnerable hearing-impaired people.
Other services offered are:
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Demonstrating, advising and assisting people using and maintaining analogue and digital hearing aids.
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Social work support and provision for hearing-impaired people
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Assisting and advising hearing-impaired people in obtaining benefits within the current legal framework, such as DLA, Attendance Allowance, War Pensions and so on.
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Advising, informing and limited provision of equipment for individuals or organisations with regard to employment issues.
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Liaising with other specialist organisations, manufacturers and suppliers of specialist equipment for hard of hearing people so as to be aware of latest devices and negotiate best financial arrangements.
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Due to the nature of the work, a high level of advocacy, counselling and support work is undertaken.
Primarily, equipment provided by the Hearing Loss Support Service is for use in the domestic environment and is issued following a comprehensive assessment of each individual to identify any problems that may be caused by their hearing loss.
Referrals may come through from social services, hospitals, and other statutory and non-statutory organisations. We also receive referrals from individuals. On receiving the referral, it is placed on a waiting list using a priority system and the information received about the individual's circumstances is assessed. When an individual reaches the top of the waiting list, he or she is offered an appointment either at the team's demonstration room or in their own homes.
Equipment provided
The team has to work within a strict budget but manage to provide a wide level of equipment depending on the individual's assessment. We are constantly assessing the latest equipment with an eye on our budget, but at the moment are able to offer the following:
Door alerting devices
Flashing light door warning system
We also offer a loud doorbell that goes by the name of 'bomb blaster'!
Telecommunications
Due to budget restrictions, we cannot offer telephones but we demonstrate and advise on amplified telephones and minicoms. We work closely with BT Age and Disability and through them arrange for free extension tonecallers (loud telephone bells) to be provided for hearing-impaired BT clients.
We also offer a flashing telephone light for those who have the Mountcastle Doorbell systems
Finally, we offer a phoneflash.
Televisions/audio equipment
We offer a range of both portable and fitted loop systems.
Alerting equipment
Smoke alarms
Baby alarms
The is no single vibrating/flashing light baby unit but we combine a walkabout classic with a nightingale.
Alarm clocks
Finally, the Hearing Loss Support Service is actively involved in groups operating for the hearing impaired within the Leeds Centre for Deaf and Blind People, such as the Leeds Hard of Hearing Forum, with whom we worked closely on the creation of the Equipment Room, and the Leeds and District Hard of Hearing Club. The team will also work closely with the new hearing therapist based at the Leeds General Infirmary.
The display of equipment in our demonstration room |
Our electrician repairs equipment in our workshop. |
