Susan L. Stewart, MA, CM, Author, OLY’s Post

Imagine navigating your day without being able to hear the conversation around you. One in three adults are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus, and this is their reality. September is Deaf Awareness Month, a perfect time to think about how we can all make communication more accessible. You don't need to be fluent in British Sign Language to make a difference to someone's day. Learning a few simple signs can help bridge the communication gap and show your support to friends, colleagues or customers.

What is Auditory Oral Approach? The Auditory-Oral Approach is a communication method designed to teach children with hearing loss how to use their residual hearing, along with speech and lip-reading (speechreading), to develop spoken language. Unlike the Auditory-Verbal Approach, which strictly minimizes visual cues, the Auditory-Oral Approach encourages the use of both hearing and visual speech cues for communication.

Deaf Awareness Week, Keelan Riley: Growing up deaf in one ear shaped my journey in unexpected ways, yet my resilience and determination transformed what some might see as a challenge into a unique strength, especially in my career in sales/customer service. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything that can help me hear from my left ear however it does gives me an appreciation for what I do have, and I continue to make the most of every opportunity in life. From a young age, I learned to adapt. I navigated classrooms, social settings, and conversations with an understanding of communication that most take for granted. Instead of seeing my hearing impairment as a setback, I saw it as an opportunity to develop heightened listening skills. I developed an empathetic approach that resonated deeply with others. I have always seen each encounter as a chance to prove my worth, leveraging my unique perspective to connect with others which has allowed me to build lasting relationships based on trust and understanding. My journey in both customer services and sales wasn't without challenges. There were moments of frustration and self-doubt, but I have always embraced it as an integral part of my identity as it certainly makes me one of the loudest in any setting. #DeafAwarenessWeek #DeafCommunity #SpreadAwareness #HearingLossAwareness

Curious about the best way to start a conversation with someone who’s Deaf or hard of hearing? 🤔 We spoke with Rita, who shared her tips on how to get her attention in a way that helps her feel included and ready for a great conversation! For helpful tips on communicating with people who are Deaf or hard of hearing individuals, click the link here: https://lnkd.in/gZUc8rGb

Oticon intent is the It is the world's first hearing aid capable of understanding your listening intentions. It allows the hearing aid to recognize when the user's listening needs change and adapt accordingly. Call us to book - 098112 24051 Read More - https://lnkd.in/gvND3yP6 #OticonIntent #oticonhearingaids #oticon #hearingloss #hearingaids #soundrichhearing

Deaf Awareness Week Tip #3: When speaking to someone Deaf or hard of hearing, ensure clear communication by facing them directly, speaking clearly, and using visual aids like gestures, writing, or sign language when needed. Let's cultivate understanding and inclusivity together!

Deaf Awareness Week - Tip no. 2 Write things down. Consider alternative ways of communicating when face-to-face communication is difficult. Writing messages down or sending text messages can be a helpful way to ensure that everyone is included in the conversation. Alternatively, you can use the 'dictate' option on your phone to transcribe your speech into text. By embracing these communication strategies, you can help create a more inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. #DeafAwarenessWeek2024 #DAW2024

Time is ticking and our taster session slots are filling up fast! Here is the first line of a feedback I received from a taster session earlier this year. "I recently did a Deaf Awareness taster session with Rachel and I can't recommend her highly enough." But before you book, let's talk about something crucial: COMMUNICATION! Ever wondered how you and your team can communicate more effectively with each other and customers? Here are some quick tips: 1. Active Listening: Listen with intent, not just hearing words. 2. Use Technology: use tools for quick and efficient communication. 3. Empathy: Understand different communication styles and preferences. At our Deaf Awareness sessions, we cover different ways of communicating, how to adapt to different preferences, how to use equipment that can aid communications and much more. Book your taster session on the eventbrite link here: https://lnkd.in/eFUCfgM4 Visual description of the full image below is in the alt text. Emma's full feedback is in my LinkedIn profile page. Book the taster session to get to know us and find out how we can help you. #Taster #DeafAwareness #Communication #InclusiveHospitality #Feedback

Did you know there are over 11 million people in the UK deaf or hard of hearing? Simple communication tips can make a difference... - Speak face to face - Try not to stand with light or window directly behind you - Don't shout - Speak clearly - If you're not understand don't repeat, try rephrasing #DAW #DeafAwarenessWeek2024 Image descriptions - The communication tips are listed. A yellow wave runs along the bottom of the grpahic with a hearing icon and words

California Relay offers Voice Carry Over and Two-Line Voice Carry Over services for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and would prefer to use their voice on the phone but receive responses in text. Learn more and start connecting at caconnec.org/relay. #CaliforniaRelay #CaliforniaConnect #Accessibility #Telecommunications #Services #CommunicateYourWay #InclusionMatters #AccessibilityForAll #SpeechDisabilities #EqualityForAll #InclusiveCalifornia #AccessibleServices #CommunicationEquality #CaliforniaServices [Image Description: Header text reads: "Voice Carry Over Relay Service." Underneath it are two columns. The first on the left reads: "Voice Carry Over (VCO), VCO is for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing but who wish to speak directly through the telephone receiver to be heard by the other party. In addition to VCO, there is also Enhanced VCO, and Captioned Telephone Service." The second column reads: "Two-Line Voice Carry Over, A two-line VCO is similar to the VCO but uses two telephone lines. One is used with a TTY for incoming text from the CA to the VCO user and the other line is used for voice from the VCO user who speaks directly to the other party." California Relay logo is centered at the bottom.]