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Caring for someone with hearing and sight difficulties
If you’re caring for someone with hearing or sight loss, communication can be difficult and it takes a lot of patience to ensure that you’re understood. We’ve included a few tips that may help you in your caring role.
Hearing
People may lose their hearing as they become older, while some people may have been deaf for many years.When you are caring for someone who is deaf or has hearing loss:
- make sure you have their attention and stand in front of them when speaking
- look at the person as you speak
- speak slowly and clearly, but do not over emphasise or distort your lip movements
- don’t yell – speaking loudly won’t make them hear you
- try to use body language and facial expressions
- use paper and pencil to write messages where appropriate
- beards, moustaches, chewing and putting hands in front of your face can obscure communication, and
- if an Auslan (sign language) interpreter is present, speak directly to the deaf person, not the interpreter.
Sight loss
People’s sight may decline with age and many older people can suffer from significant sight loss or blindness. Loss of sight can cause frustration, depression and grief as older people mourn the loss of life as they knew it, especially the loss of their independence, mobility and the freedom to drive.When caring for someone with sight loss it’s important to remember to:
- say your name when you arrive
- use a clear natural voice when speaking
- allow the person you care for to hold your arm in compensation for diminished vision
- if you’re moving about the room or leaving, say what you’re doing
- if there’s food in front of them, explain what it is and where it’s placed on the plate, perhaps using the idea of a clock face
- warn the person of the temperature of food or drink when you’re giving it to them
- leave everything as you find it in the home as people can become confused or injure themselves if furniture or things are moved, and
- when moving older people, let them take your arm and walk slowly, and make sure you remove or describe any obstacles in their way.