Care home support for residents with sight and hearing loss

We have compiled a resource guide to help care homes residents who have sight and hearing loss.

People with sensory loss are more likely to have difficulty with moderate exercise, mental stimulation, maintaining social contact and healthy eating resulting in poor health outcomes.

Small changes can make a big difference

With the right advice and support, such as training in communication and guiding, how to improve accessibility, or using equipment that can help, care homes can support people with sensory loss to live active and healthy lives.

This resource pack has been created in partnership with NHS England and NHS Improvement, RNID, RNIB and ECL Sensory Service.

Key facts*:

  • One in six people in the UK have some form of hearing loss.
  • One in five people over 75, and one in two over 90, are living with sight loss.
  • One in two people living in care homes have some degree of sight loss.
  • Approximately 75% of care home residents have hearing problems.

Hard of hearing or Deaf

Practical tools to help you support your residents who are hard of hearing or Deaf.

Hearing aids

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Communication

General advice

Sight impairment

Practical tools to help you support your residents who have a sight impairment.

Identification

Communication, guiding and mealtimes

General tips and wheelchair use

Sight loss and dementia

Sight loss and learning disabilities

Sight and hearing loss (deafblind)

Practical tools to help you support your residents who have a sight and hearing loss (deafblind).

Assessing and communication

General advice and tips

Contact information about support and services in your area

The following three organisations will be able to connect you to the local services in your area.

RNID Information Line (Royal National Institute for Deaf People)

Contact our Information Line for free, confidential and impartial information on a range of subjects relating to deaf issues, hearing loss and tinnitus.

Chat online: https://rnid.org.uk/information-and-support/information-line/.

Email: information@rnid.org.uk.

Call: 08088 080 123.

Text message: 07800 000 360.

Relay UK: 18001 then 08088 080 123.

BSL video call: https://rnid.org.uk/information-and-support/information-line/bsl-information-service/.

RNIB Information Line (Royal National Institute of Blind People)

We're here for you with advice and information to help you face the future with confidence.

Call: 03031 239 999.

Relay UK: 18001 then 03031 239 999.

Email: helpline@rnib.org.uk.

Contact form: https://www.rnib.org.uk/about-rnib/contact-us.

Or say: “Alexa, call RNIB Helpline” to an Alexa-enabled device.

Sense (For everyone living with complex disabilities or who is deafblind)

Sense Information and Advice can help you find the right support for you and your family. In partnership with RNIB, we are here to offer you free and impartial information about living with complex disabilities, including deafblindness.

Call: 03003 309 256.

Relay UK: 18001 then 03003 309 256.

Email/contact form: https://www.sense.org.uk/get-in-touch/contact-information-and-advice/.

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