The Sensory Services Team
The Sensory Services team provide services to people who have a sight loss, or who are deaf or hard of hearing, and who live in Blackpool. We also provide services for people who have a combined hearing and sight loss.
The type and amount of help you get varies from person to person. For this reason, we will carry out an assessment before arranging a service.
Vision Impairment
This service can help anyone who has a vision impairment. We offer specialist information about visual impairment, support and training. The service is flexible and tailored to meet individual needs. Our aim is to support people to live an independent life.
We support people by listening to their concerns about how their visual impairment has affected them, and by helping them to get other services from the Council or voluntary organisations.
We can offer training in using public transport, moving about safely indoors or outdoors with or without a cane. We can offer support to help you live more independently by offering hints for shopping and carrying out household tasks. We can help you develop your communication skills by training you in tactile forms of reading such as Braille and Moon.
There are also a number of ways of improving your remaining vision that include the use of lighting, contrast and colour. We can also advise you on the use of magnifiers. Further details can be given by the Rehabilitation Officer for the Visually Impaired (ROVI).
Hearing Impairment
Hearing difficulties and impairments include a wide range of conditions - from slight hearing loss to deafness. Blackpool Council can offer environmental aids to help deaf and hard of hearing people to live more independent lives. These include flashing light doorbells, alarm clocks, loop systems for the TV/personal listeners, text phones/minicoms and smoke alarms. We can also offer you advice on telephones.
You can be referred, or refer yourself for an assessment by the equipment officer for equipment relating to deafness and communication needs.
For hearing tests, please go to your GP to get an audiology appointment.
Dual Sensory Loss
Dual Sensory Impairment is combined sight and hearing loss. This can range from being deaf and blind, to being hard of hearing and partially sighted. Blackpool Council can offer information on mobility issues and local services available. Following an assessment, we can provide specialist equipment to help with sight and hearing loss.
These services are available to people of all ages and cultures who are deaf and have sight loss who live in Blackpool. We can also offer help if you care for someone with sight and hearing loss.
Our services can be accessed if you are experiencing difficulties on a day to day basis because of sight, hearing, or combined sight and hearing impairments whether you are registered with us or not.
For further information on the services we provide, please contact:
Dual Sensory Loss & Hearing Impairment Officer: (01253) 476939
Rehabilitation Officer for the Visually Impaired: (01253) 477757
For information and advice on equipment for daily living click here to access AskSARA, the Disabled Living Foundation's free on-line self-assessment tool.
Related Links:
Blackpool Fylde & Wyre Society for the Blind Website
Blackpool Fylde & Wyre Society for the Deaf Website
Action for Blind People Website
Sense - UK DeafBlind Charity
DeafBlind UK Website
Galloways Society for the Blind Website
British Sign Language Website
Royal Blind Society Website
Royal National Institute for the Blind Website
|