Sense - Torfaen Family Information Service

Sense supports and campaigns for
children and adults who are deafblind
who we help and
what we do

what is
deafblindness?
Deafblindness is a term that is used to
describe a combination of vision and hearing
impairments. A few individuals are completely
deaf and blind, but most people have some
remaining sight and/or hearing they can make
use of. Some people also have other disabilities
that they have to cope with.
Living with little or no sight and hearing is
immensely challenging. For example,
communicating with other people, moving
around safely and living independently may
be very difficult. Despite this, given the right
support, services and information each
individual can develop their talents, have their
say and choose how they wish to live their lives.
Sense has worked with deafblind people and
their families for over 50 years. It offers
specialist personalised services across the UK,
campaigns for change and has built a
world-wide reputation for its pioneering work.
Today we help people of all ages with a wide
range of complex difficulties. We also support
individuals with a single sensory impairment
and additional disabilities.
backing children and families
For children who are born with vision
and hearing impairments, learning
about the world around them, finding
a way to communicate, and learning
to trust people can be immensely
difficult.
Sense’s dedicated staff offer skilled
early assessments, and advise parents
about the best ways to help their child
to learn and develop. They also liaise
with other services – such as education
providers – and when necessary they
battle on a family’s behalf.
Our staff also help families to cope with
the stress and isolation of bringing up
a child with special needs. Saturday
clubs, branch meetings, family weekends
and holidays bring families
together to share experiences, pass
on information and gain strength
from each other.
“It’s been an incredible journey. We were in
a very dark place but now the future holds
so much for Gethin” Gethin’s mum

“Helen says hello by
holding out her hand
for the staff to touch
–something she would
never have done a
few months ago”
offering choices, enriching lives
Sense believes strongly that each
individual should be able to choose
the help and support that is right
for them.
Our specialist services enable deafblind
people to live as independently
as possible, offering a range of housing,
educational, employment and leisure
opportunities that are built around
each individual’s needs and preferences.
Sense’s specialist staff work closely
in partnership with each individual,
learning about the things that matter
to them – particularly how they
communicate their likes and dislikes.
Wherever possible, Sense aims to
meet the needs and expectations of
the deafblind people we serve – and
to provide high-quality, tailored services
and support to make their dreams
a reality.
breaking down isolation
As people are living longer, many
more elderly people are having
to cope with combined sight and
hearing difficulties.
“It’s great to have
someone to talk to
and to have a laugh”
Ethel
Having a dual-sensory impairment
makes it much harder for older people
to live independently and to enjoy
the interests and social activities that
they used to. Many feel isolated and
unwanted.
Sense provides specialist support and
information to enable older people to
continue to live as independently as
possible. Our outreach workers are able
to carry out specialist assessments
of an older person’s needs, and to
organise appropriate services and
support for them. Communicatorguides
for example, provide
communication support, offer practical
help at home, and enable a deafblind
person to get out and about – perhaps
to go shopping or to visit the doctor’s.

“It’s important to
stand up and have
your say” Desmond
a strong voice for deafblind people
Some people are born deafblind.
Many others do have sight and/or
hearing but then start to lose this
later in life. This is called acquired
deafblindness.
People with Usher syndrome, for
example, are born deaf or hard of
hearing and then start to lose their
sight in their teens. This can be a very
challenging time, and not surprisingly
many people feel scared, isolated and
very bleak about the future.
helping Sense
Your gifts and support will make sure
Sense can continue to make a real
difference to the lives of deafblind
people. There are many ways you
can help Sense:
• Run a marathon in London or New
York using one of our guaranteed
places or take a trek to a remote
part of the world.
• Organise your own event at your
school, work or with a group of friends.
Our dedicated team of fundraisers
throughout the country will be on
hand to help you.
• We receive vital support from many
companies. Why not choose Sense as
your company’s charity of the year?
• At one of our Sense shops you
can donate your unwanted clothes,
jewellery or household items or
maybe become one of our shop
volunteers.
• Leave a special gift by remembering
Sense in your Will.
To make a donation to Sense
now, please call 0845 127 0067
You can set up a direct debit or make
a single gift over the phone, or if you
prefer, please complete and send the
coupon to the address on the back page.
Please accept my gift of £
I enclose a cheque / postal order /
CAF voucher note payable to Sense
(please circle)
OR Please debit my: MasterCard /
Visa / CAF Card / Maestro (please circle)
Card No:
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Start date: | | | | | Expiry date: | | | | |
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Signature
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People who have acquired deafblindness
often struggle to play their part
in society. Sense supports these
individuals by offering information,
support and guidance, but also by
empowering them to campaign on
their own behalf. Desmond Masterson
for example (pictured above), was
born profoundly deaf and developed
tunnel vision later on. Sense has trained
him to campaign for himself, and given
him the confidence to take action and
bring about positive changes.
Just call
0845 127 0067
to find out
how YOU can
make a real
difference now.
info@sense.org.uk
WWH1/08
Postcode:
Telephone:
We would like to keep you informed about our
vital work and how you can help. If you would
rather not receive further information from
Sense then please tick this box .
Occasionally, Sense benefits from exchanging
supporter information with other charities. If
you do not wish to have your details exchanged
please tick this box .
Thank you.

about Sense
Sense is the leading national charity
that supports and campaigns for
children and adults who are deafblind.
We provide expert advice and information
as well as specialist services to deafblind
people, their families, carers and the
professionals who work with them.
In addition, we support people who
have sensory impairments with
additional disabilities.
Becoming a member of Sense
Sense membership brings a wide
range of benefits, including contact
with other members, being kept
up-to-date with developments in the
deafblind field, and receiving our
magazine Talking Sense. For more
information contact Sense and ask
for Membership.
support
Sense
For a copy of this leaflet in another
format, such as braille or audio tape,
please contact Sense Information Team
on 0845 127 0060.
For more information, please contact:
Sense
101 Pentonville Road
London N1 9LG
tel: 0845 127 0060
fax: 0845 127 0061
text: 0845 127 0062
info@sense.org.uk
www.sense.org.uk
Registered Charity No: 289868 10/2008
Patron: HRH The Princess Royal