This week June is Deafblind Awareness Week 2020. Here’s a wee video of our cook and fitness guru David talking about his dual sensory loss and the impact Covid-19 has had on him.
David has a genetic condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) which reduces the width of vision. He had poor eyesight even as a child with childhood macular degeneration which attacks the central vision. This combination left David totally blind at an early age and his RP has, in recent years, also begun to claim his hearing.
Now wearing hearing aids in both ears, we caught up with David as part of Deafblind Awareness Week 2020 to find out a bit more about his experience and for a very active person, how the Coronavirus pandemic has also impacted him and many other people with sight and hearing loss.
Watch David’s interview with Centre Manager Jacquie below. The video is signed for BSL users too. We have a number of Deafblind Centre Users and have a close link with Deafblind Scotland, a nearby charity which specifically supports people with dual sensory loss. Here is a picture of David showing his guide cane which has special red markings. These indicate that the user has a hearing as well as visual impairment.
Classes at the Centre are currently paused but we are trying to open up new things online with virtual groups and we are hopeful that we will have an opportunity to welcome people back to the Centre very soon.
If you have any questions about Deafblindness or sensory loss, get in touch via our facebook page or on Twitter, we’ll be happy to help.
0 comments on “Deafblind Awareness Week 2020” Add yours →