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ODGAC Cornfest at the Britannia Park - Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 9 am

Evénements

ODGAC Cornfest au parc Britannia - Samedi, septembre 11, 2010 à 9 heures

Information

URGENTLY NEEDED: LONG TERM CARE FOR DEAF AND DEAF/BLIND SENIORS IN EASTERN ONTARIO

A small group of volunteers has begun advocating for long term care (LTC), which means, nursing homes/retirement residences, for Deaf and Deaf/blind seniors in eastern Ontario.

OUR GOAL is to be funded to advocate for the establishment of a system whereby Deaf and Deaf/blind seniors have an option to be served in a culturally appropriate, barrier free, long term care (LTC) setting in an existing facility in eastern Ontario. That is, to have one “home” where Deaf and Deaf/Blind seniors can be together. The benefits for the Deaf community will also help other seniors who have lost their hearing as they aged.

CONTINUITY OF COMMUNITY

There is no long term care facility in Eastern Ontario with the expertise or dedicated spaces to serve the culturally Deaf or Deaf/blind. The Deaf have long recognized the need for such services locally and most want to remain in eastern Ontario as they age. Currently, persons who are Deaf must move out of the area or even out of province to receive culturally specific services. Separation from families and friends can be traumatic. If an existing LTC facility in eastern Ontario provided culturally specific services then families, friends and volunteers (Deaf and hearing who can use sign language) could easily visit.

CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE LTC SETTING – WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

A setting, within the existing LTC system, that understands the needs of Deaf and Deaf/blind persons and includes:

staff and volunteers trained in sign language
provision of sign language interpreters and intervenors as needed
Deaf friends and other Deaf people living in the same “home”
Deaf visitors and Deaf volunteers
staff and volunteers trained in hospice/palliative care
some Deaf staff, some hearing staff who use ASL
families and friends of residents living nearby

The “home” will be adapted to meet the needs of the Deaf and Deaf/blind, for example:

Televisions with closed captioning
Round tables in dining room
Visual fire alarms and doorbells
TTYs, webcams
Signage in Braille and ASL
Proper lighting for communication
Colours and patterns which are Deaf/blind friendly

WHAT WE NEED

Agreement that culturally specific services are a viable option in eastern Ontario.

To meet with:

the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC)
the Champlain Local Health Integration Network (LHIN)
LTC facilities
government officials

Funding for:

advocacy work
a needs survey
sign language interpreting services and intervening services to enable Deaf, Deaf/blind and hearing parties (e.g. officials, professionals, etc) to communicate and discuss this project
an awareness campaign including press coverage

THE BENEFITS

Appropriate services for the culturally Deaf and Deaf/blind
Accessibility for hard of hearing, oral deaf, late deafened seniors
Partnerships with LTC providers, CCAC, doctors, other professionals and service providers in the field of geriatrics
Increased volunteer opportunities for Deaf people
Job opportunities for Deaf people as personal support workers
Culturally appropriate palliative care
Services for Deaf people who are not seniors but require long term care due to life threatening illnesses, long standing disabilities (other than deafness) and chronic illnesses such as MS or ALS
Families and friends are closer allowing for “continuity of community” and cost savings
Reduced emotional, psychological and spiritual distress for seniors and their families because the seniors are nearby

AVAILABILITY

1. Northwood in Halifax

2. Le Manoir Cartierville in Montreal

3. Bob Rumball Home for the Deaf in Barrie

4. Pembina Place in Winnipeg

5. Shepherd’s Care Kensington in Edmonton

For information and to offer support for this project, please contact:

TTY: Elaine Campbell 613-729-1612 or

TTY: Susan McKinley 613-224-1308 or

PHONE: Christine Wilson 613-864-7040

EMAIL: dons_dream_for_deaf_ltc@yahoo.ca

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