1. Fill in the Gaps

2. Sense
Sense is a national charity that supports and campaigns for children and adults who are deafblind.
Our vision is of a world in which all deafblind children and adults can be full and active members of society.

3. Deafblind
Persons are regarded as deafblind if their combined sight and hearing impairment cause difficulties with communication, access to information and mobility
Statutory guidance on social care for deafblind children and adults must be followed by local authorities

4. Why older people?
22% of people over 60 have a hearing and sight impairment
2 million with hearing and sight loss
7% over age 75 have moderate or severe hearing and sight loss.
276,000 people

5. What does it mean to be a deafblind older person
Restrictions to social life
33.7% would like to undertake more social activities
Mental health problems
6 times more cognitive problems
2.7 times more depressive symptoms
Illness and mortality
more likely to be unfit / frail and have falls
high blood pressure 1.5 times higher
heart problems 2.4 times higher
stroke 3.6 times higher

6. Why a campaign? Sense outreach workers identified two problems:
People don’t get referred for help
When they are referred, older people’s teams don’t know what support to give

7. What causes the problem?
Social services divide older people’s services from adult services
Older people’s services don’t take account of sensory loss
Everyone sees sensory loss as a natural part of the ageing process
People don’t know what they/their family member are entitled to
People don’t know what action to take

8. What can be done? Simple solutions can improve lives a lot
Communication
Clear speech with good lighting and no noise
Amplifying speech
Write things down in large clear letters with a thick pen
Block and deafblind manual
Mobility & the environment
Lighting, noise, contrast and avoiding dangers
Location clues, trails and routes
Guiding
Information
Frustration and boredom
Isolation

9. The campaign Professional targets:
Older people’s teams in social services
Care homes/domiciliary care
Staff in GP surgeries

10. Professional resources
Resource packs
Range of materials aimed at the different targets:
Social services – 2006
Care homes – 2007
GP surgeries
Training events

11. How did year 1 go? Resources were so popular we had to re-print
130 people attended professional seminars
All those attending said they were likely or very likely to use what they learned (72% said very likely)
Evidence of action following seminars

12. The public
Raising awareness amongst the public, especially those aged 50 – 70
Information booklet available from Sense
Media campaign to publicise
Briefing for other organisations information services

13. Public Launch Week of 16 July 2007
Just because you can’t see or hear too well…. Doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the Good Life
Celebrity support

14. Policy Putting dual sensory loss on the agenda
Seminar for key policy makers (November)

15. What this might achieve long term
Higher profile for dual sensory loss
Mainstreaming of dual sensory loss in older people’s services
Luna gets what she needs