Thanks to the equipment adaptations and sensory service life feels good again.

Date:

Terence has had problems with his hearing and balance for two decades. With help from our equipment and adaptations service, he has changed his life.

Terence Morgan’s story

“I have had problems with my hearing and balance over the past 20 years. I have had severe balance issues in the past causing many falls on a weekly basis.  This caused me to have to leave work on medical grounds when I was 52 years old, never to work again.  My hearing and balance issues were so bad that it changed my personality and I lost much of my confidence. I became more and more isolated which put a stop to any social life I had.

I didn’t know about this service and when I did find out it existed I did not know how to get in contact.  My daughter found the number and she referred me to the service. I had around a two to three week wait for an environmental hearing loss needs assessment, carried out by technical officer, Rachel Barden. She provided me with various amplified equipment and with her knowledge of other services was able to signpost and support me in to the other ones which I required for help.  The rest is history.

My health issues affected my  my social life and simple tasks, like the ease of walking became a problem. I have had many injuries because of the frequent falls I have had over the years.  Unable to bathe safely I now take a shower using a shower stool, but still fall when in the shower.  My general confidence in all areas of my life was mostly taken away.  I lived in fear all of the time of having another fall, I could not do simple tasks like shopping as carrying the shopping bag pulled me off balance potentially causing a fall.  Most simple tasks similar to this are a problem.

The service provided me with environmental aids such as a door bell, amplified phone and TV listener.  The phone helped me by amplifying the speech and by giving more clarity to the sound; this helped me to keep in touch with my friends, family and health workers.  The doorbell keeps me aware that there is someone at my door, this helps stop the isolation and also aids in my safety.  With the TV listener I was able to join in more with family viewing and hearing the news.  I was not able to do any of these previously.  Rachel also referred me onto the Equipment and Adaptation side of the service for daily living equipment such as a banister and shower stool and grab rails.  She also signposted me in to the pop in walking stick clinic, to help with my mobility issues.  Once I had the walking stick Rachel referred me to the Audio Vestibular Service at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, for physiotherapy for my balance issues and a bone anchored hearing aid.

I can go out in company, on my own, hold a conversation in person for myself, I can hear speech over the phone and hear music – I could not do any of these over the past 20 years.  I have had a 100% improvement in every aspect of my life and socialisation, I no longer feel cut off and isolated, my confidence due to all of these is coming on leaps and bounds.  Without my bone anchored hearing aid I am completely deaf.  This has completely changed my life.”