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Popular topic: deafness
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BTA to host tinnitus training courses
September 8th, 2010
Posted by Imogen Welsh
The British Tinnitus Association (BTA) has announced four new dates for its specialist Tinnitus Adviser Training courses.
According to the charity, the courses are aimed at raising awareness of counselling services for individuals experiencing hearing loss and promoting practical coping aids.
The BTA has so far hosted 32 Tinnitus Adviser Training courses in the past 16 years, training around 435 audiologists, therapists and volunteers.
“Tinnitus can be very distressing for the affected individual, and this course is designed to help health professionals and others provide support and introduce ways of coping with tinnitus,” said BTA chief executive David Stockdale.
Mr Stockdale added that the courses will take place in Nottingham on December 3rd and 4th and are priced at £260 for BTA members and £280 for non-members.
They will be followed by more courses in Nottingham and the south-east in 2011.
A confidential tinnitus helpline is run by the BTA, operated by staff with 50 years cumulative experience.
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RNID recognises Derbyshire Constabulary
September 4th, 2010
Posted by Ben Jones
The Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) has recognised a police constabulary for its improved communications with deaf people.
According to the Star, chief constable Mick Creedon of the Derbyshire Constabulary was given the charity's Louder Than Words charter mark.
The accolade was given to the constabulary for its continued commitment to supporting deaf customers and training employees.
Some 18 members of staff have been trained to use sign language, helping it achieve what the charity calls “a high quality deaf service”.
Mr Creedon told the Star he was “delighted” to receive the recognition.
“I believe we have made great strides in the way we communicate with deaf and hard of hearing people in the county,” he said.
The chief constable added that the constabulary will continue to work closely with the RNID to refine its services.
Some nine million deaf and hard of hearing people currently reside in the UK, according to figures from the charity.
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RNID launches Salisbury Hear to Help project
September 2nd, 2010
Posted by Ben Jones
A new project aimed at supporting hearing aid users in Wiltshire has been launched by the RNID.
Part of the wider Hear to Help scheme operated by the organisation, the project is being funded by the Co-operative for 18 months with support from Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust.
The charity hopes to train volunteers, many of whom have experienced hearing loss, in order to help new hearing aid users adapt their lifestyles and get the most from the technology.
Volunteers may also carry out everyday hearing aid maintenance, replacing batteries or tubing on behalf of the user.
RNID chief executive Jackie Ballard said the service could prove “invaluable” in helping deaf people adapt.
“It's amazing to see the tremendous impact a hearing aid can have in transforming a person's ability to hear and live a full and active life,” she added.
The charity currently runs 12 Hear to Help projects across the UK.
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NDCS project aims to improve London’s audiology services
August 31st, 2010
Posted by Imogen Welsh
The National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) has launched a new initiative that is geared towards improving audiology services for young people.
Aimed primarily at 14-to-16-year-olds, Over to You is a one-year project that aims to improve people's experiences of services in London.
The scheme focuses on the boroughs of Newham, Hackney and Tower Hamlets and will be run in conjunction with a series of free events.
Audiology professionals will be involved in the initiative, which will include theatre, film and crafts workshops, as well as a tour of the Geffrye Museum.
Participants will be encouraged to tell the NDCS about their experiences with audiology services.
The charity is also calling on the parents of deaf children to voice their concerns and anxieties surrounding issues such as the transition between child and adult services.
“We want to make sure you have a positive experience when visiting the services, and by letting us know what you think, we can help improve them for the better,” the NDCS states.
The organisation is also currently conducting research into text relay services and how they can be developed to better support users.
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Ofcom launches text relay service research
August 26th, 2010
Posted by Ben Jones
Deaf people are being encouraged to take part in a major research project on the effectiveness of text relay and other services.
According to the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS), the project will consider how deaf people use communications services and how they can be better tailored to their needs.
Carried out by Opinion Leader on behalf of Ofcom, the research will consider people who have used text relay services, deaf people who have not used them and those with experience of other types of relay services.
The charity is urging deaf people to take part in the project by taking part in interviews, online discussions and questionnaires.
All individuals taking part in face-to-face interviews or online discussions are eligible for a payment of £35.
“Have your say by taking part in research about the future of text relay and other services for people who are deaf, partially deaf with or without speech,” the NDCS states.
There are nine million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK.
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More teenagers experience hearing loss
August 18th, 2010
Posted by James Lahey
More teenagers are damaging their hearing by listening to loud music than 20 years ago, it has been revealed.
According to researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, 20 per cent of adolescents experienced some form of hearing problem or deafness between 2005 and 2006.
This compares with a figure of 15 per cent of 12-to-19-year olds between 1988 and 1994 - a rise that could be attributed to the increasing popularity of personal music players and live concerts.
The report authors stated: “Further studies are needed to determine reasons for this increase and to identify potential modifiable risk factors to prevent the development of hearing loss.”
Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the report also noted that children living below the poverty line were more likely to be affected.
In related news, the RNID is running a scheme that hopes to identify background noise in TV programmes this week.
The charity is encouraging viewers who are hard of hearing to report which programmes are hardest to hear in order to eliminate the problem.
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First sign language mobile phone in testing
August 17th, 2010
Posted by Imogen Welsh
Engineers in the US are in the process of developing the first mobile phone capable of relaying American Sign Language (ASL).
The device is the brainchild of researchers at the University of Washington and is currently undergoing initial field testing.
Dubbed MobileASL, the phone features enhanced image quality around the face and hands to improve signing visibility, while its movement sensor preserves battery life when a user is not signing.
Set to end tomorrow (August 18th), the first test has seen users make a total of 200 calls with an average duration of a minute and a half.
University undergraduate Josiah Cheslik said the technology will replace text messaging for long communications.
“Sometimes with texting, people will be confused about what it really means. With the MobileASL phone people can see each other eye-to-eye, face-to-face and really have better understanding,” he said.
The research is being funded primarily by the US National Science Foundation, which has backed more than 180 Nobel Prize winners since its inception in 1950.
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Educational DVDs feature BSL support
August 13th, 2010
Posted by Charlie Powell-Brett
A collection of educational DVDs for children have been released with both subtitles and British Sign Language (BSL) support.
The Magic of Making is a series of short films that each focuses on how everyday items are created, following the raw materials through various processes to the end product.
According to the National Deaf Children's Society, although blockbuster children's movies are often subtitled, commercial TV programmes can be overlooked, leaving them inaccessible to deaf audiences.
The charity welcomed the release of the DVD collection of “charming little films”, stating: “The films are made in a classic style and have been extremely well received by children and adults alike.”
It adds that almost no mainstream educational or entertainment DVDs aimed at young people feature a BSL option.
Processes covered in the series include flavouring ice cream, manufacturing cutlery, pressing coins and building cars.
The films also allow the viewer to switch narration on and off.
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RNID projects to support new hearing aid users
August 7th, 2010
Posted by Charlie Imogen Welsh
The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) has launched the first of 21 regional projects that will help people adjust to deafness and wearing hearing aids.
Funded by the Co-operative Group, Hear to Help seeks to combat the loneliness experienced by those who lose their hearing and began in Leeds on Tuesday (August 3rd).
Some 20 other Hear to Help projects will be set up over the next year, providing trained volunteers, many of whom have personal experience of hearing loss, to help individuals communicate with friends and family and maintain their hearing aid.
RNID chief executive Jackie Ballard said the “invaluable” service could potentially provide “life-changing support”.
“Our committed team of volunteers up and down the country will run community drop-in sessions and make home visits to build the confidence of hearing aid users,” Ms Ballard said.
Similar schemes are currently being set up in Birmingham North, Nottingham, Bolton, Hull and Newcastle.
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RNID researches workplace hearing loss
July 28th, 2010
Posted by Charlie Powell-Brett
The Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) is calling on people to share stories about hearing loss in the workplace.
In a research project that could improve support for employees affected by loss of hearing, the charity hopes to conduct short interviews with individuals who have gone deaf while remaining in work.
It also hopes to gather information from retired people who have lost their hearing in the last ten years.
Roger Wicks, RNID director of research, policy and government relations, said: “The interviews will be a great opportunity to highlight issues which can inform us about the ways people react to and deal with hearing loss and how best to support hard of hearing people in work in the future.”
He added that the “vital study” would encompass people of all ages and professions.
In related news, the RNID is currently recruiting deaf and hard of hearing volunteers to help stage the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
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