The Adult Sensory Support Team

We can help with:

• hearing loss
• sight loss
• dual sensory loss (both sight and hearing)

We provide a high quality service to adults with a sensory loss in County Durham, offering a person-centred approach to helping people who experience sight or hearing loss and those who are deaf, including users of British Sign Language (BSL).

Sensory support

We aim to reduce the impact sensory loss has on your daily life, focusing on your needs and wishes to try to help you make them happen. We do this through specialist assessment and care planning. We support people to overcome the obstacles that everyday environments can place in your way. We raise awareness among colleagues, service providers and other agencies of the particular needs and expectations of people with a sensory loss.

Hearing impairment

What we can do for people with hearing impairment?

We have social workers with special communication skills to work with deaf, deafened and hard of hearing people and their families. They provide information and services to help people live as independently as possible.  

We can:

• encourage you to register with the council as deaf or hard of hearing
• help you to adapt or learn new skills to deal with changes in daily living, communication or mobility
• advise about specialist equipment and adaptions to your home
• inform you about welfare rights and disability benefits including Personal Independence Payment and help you to complete the paperwork
• provide information on local support groups
• put you in contact with advocacy services when independent help is required

We can also help you:

• if you have problems caring for children
• if you have problems with your housing and where you live
• if you are deaf and suffer with mental ill-health
• to manage at work or return to work
• to access sign language interpreters or lipspeakers

Contacting us by British Sign Language (BSL)

You can Contact us by British Sign Language using our video relay service.

Sight loss

What do we do for people with sight loss?

We work closely with local voluntary organisations and other services in the council, who offer a range of advice, information and support to blind and partially sighted people in County Durham.
We can help you with:

Mobility

• sighted guiding techniques
• advice on safer ways to cross roads
• using public transport safely
• room or building familiarisation
• advice on access to buildings, for example, local shops, GPs surgery, school or college
• orientation and mobility training
• making the most of other senses.

Daily living

• personal care (for example, safe shaving or bathing)
• making a hot drink
• preparation and cooking of meals in the safest way
• identifying money or clothing
• simple and effective ways of doing housework
• advice on safer gardening techniques.

Communication

• using the telephone
• advice on the use of magnifiers and lighting
• handwriting and signatures
• using keyboards, computers, scanners and other software
• tactile languages (Braille/Moon).

We work closely with the NHS and with voluntary organisations in County Durham in order to make sure you receive the care and support you need.