National AccessAbility Week Tip #3 - Assisting People with Hearing Loss

Did you know…Hearing loss can cause problems in distinguishing certain frequencies, sounds or words and like most disabilities has a wide variety of degrees.

Here are some tips to help people who are deaf or hard of hearing:

• Attract the person’s attention before speaking.  A gentle touch on the shoulder or a gentle wave of the hand works well.
• Make sure you are in a well-lit area and keep your hands and other objects away from your face and mouth while speaking.
• If the person uses a hearing aid, try to speak in an area with little background noise

Here are some tips for businesses to assist people who are deaf or hard of hearing:

• Provide a pen and paper at all customer service desks for an alternative method of communicating.
• Speak directly to your customer – not to their sign language interpreter – if they are accompanied by one.

Join us in an effort to raise awareness for equal access and full participation for individuals with disabilities. Let’s celebrate the achievements of those who encounter barriers every day!

For more information on Accessibility, the Municipality, and organizations associated with Accessibility please visit our website at www.mississippimills.ca