UNIT 34
INTRODUCTORY
AWARENESS OF
SENSORY LOSS
1.) Understand the factors that impact on an individual with sensory loss
and steps that can be taken to overcome these.
1.1 - Describe how a range of factors have a negative and positive impact on
individuals with sensory loss.
Sensory loss for an individual can be a frightening thing, basic tasks such as
washing, clothing and eating can become a struggle.
For some individuals with sensory loss, knowing that you can no longer
complete these basic tasks can cause embarrassment, depression and self-
isolation.
We often take our senses for granted, day-to-day tasks such as brushing our
teeth, washing, preparing meals for ourselves are simple tasks but with the
loss or impairment of either our vision or hearing, these simple tasks can be
a real struggle.
Positive factors for sensory loss can include things such as a guide dog.
A guide dog can help a person suffering from sensory loss navigate as well
as provide company to the individual.
Hearing aids and visual communications such as sign language can be
provided to an individual suffering from hearing loss. This will help an
individual have effective communication.
1.2 - Identify steps that can be taken to overcome factors that have a
negative impact on individuals with sensory loss.
Communication is the most important thing to re-establish when an
individual is suffering with sensory loss. Regular hearing and eye tests
should be undertaken for anyone within care to identify a decline in their
hearing or sight.
For an individual that is blind, the introduction of braille books and
descriptive text on televisions can help assist the user to enjoy
entertainment by themselves without relying on another person, giving
them a sense of pride and independence.
There are guide dogs and walking canes to assist blind people with mobility
to be able to complete basic tasks such as walking to the shop and back.
, For an individual that is deaf, the introduction of a hearing aid would be
beneficial. If the user is completely deaf and a hearing aid would have no
effect, learning sign language and lip-reading would help the user better
communicate with other people.
For someone communicating with a deaf person, exaggerating facial
expressions may also help the user understand emotions as they can't hear
the tone in which things are being said.
Support from family, friends or healthcare professionals is important to help
the individual integrate comfortably back into society and live as much of a
normal life as possible.
1.3 - Explain how individuals with sensory loss can be disabled by attitudes
and beliefs.
People experiencing sensory loss can suffer both mentally and physically.
They may feel that they can never do certain tasks or enjoy certain thing
such as watching a movie with the family again.
Many people believe that if they were to go either blind or deaf that they
would lose their independence as they believe they would always need
assistance from another individual during tasks. I.e washing, feeding and
socialising.
It is a common belief that if someone was to go blind or deaf, people would
question things such as;
• How can they cook?
• How can they eat?
• How can they go shopping?
• How can they keep clean?
• How can they work or commute to work whilst being blind?
A lot of these negative beliefs about sensory loss are usually due to a lack of
understand, information and sometimes ignorance on the other parties
behalf.
1.4 - Identify steps that could be taken to overcome disabling attitudes and
beliefs.
As mentioned in section 1.2, support from family, friends or healthcare
professionals is very important to help the individual identify and provide
solutions to their needs and requirements.
Creating a care plan that is centred to the individual is important as
everyone's needs are different and not one person the same. For example,
INTRODUCTORY
AWARENESS OF
SENSORY LOSS
1.) Understand the factors that impact on an individual with sensory loss
and steps that can be taken to overcome these.
1.1 - Describe how a range of factors have a negative and positive impact on
individuals with sensory loss.
Sensory loss for an individual can be a frightening thing, basic tasks such as
washing, clothing and eating can become a struggle.
For some individuals with sensory loss, knowing that you can no longer
complete these basic tasks can cause embarrassment, depression and self-
isolation.
We often take our senses for granted, day-to-day tasks such as brushing our
teeth, washing, preparing meals for ourselves are simple tasks but with the
loss or impairment of either our vision or hearing, these simple tasks can be
a real struggle.
Positive factors for sensory loss can include things such as a guide dog.
A guide dog can help a person suffering from sensory loss navigate as well
as provide company to the individual.
Hearing aids and visual communications such as sign language can be
provided to an individual suffering from hearing loss. This will help an
individual have effective communication.
1.2 - Identify steps that can be taken to overcome factors that have a
negative impact on individuals with sensory loss.
Communication is the most important thing to re-establish when an
individual is suffering with sensory loss. Regular hearing and eye tests
should be undertaken for anyone within care to identify a decline in their
hearing or sight.
For an individual that is blind, the introduction of braille books and
descriptive text on televisions can help assist the user to enjoy
entertainment by themselves without relying on another person, giving
them a sense of pride and independence.
There are guide dogs and walking canes to assist blind people with mobility
to be able to complete basic tasks such as walking to the shop and back.
, For an individual that is deaf, the introduction of a hearing aid would be
beneficial. If the user is completely deaf and a hearing aid would have no
effect, learning sign language and lip-reading would help the user better
communicate with other people.
For someone communicating with a deaf person, exaggerating facial
expressions may also help the user understand emotions as they can't hear
the tone in which things are being said.
Support from family, friends or healthcare professionals is important to help
the individual integrate comfortably back into society and live as much of a
normal life as possible.
1.3 - Explain how individuals with sensory loss can be disabled by attitudes
and beliefs.
People experiencing sensory loss can suffer both mentally and physically.
They may feel that they can never do certain tasks or enjoy certain thing
such as watching a movie with the family again.
Many people believe that if they were to go either blind or deaf that they
would lose their independence as they believe they would always need
assistance from another individual during tasks. I.e washing, feeding and
socialising.
It is a common belief that if someone was to go blind or deaf, people would
question things such as;
• How can they cook?
• How can they eat?
• How can they go shopping?
• How can they keep clean?
• How can they work or commute to work whilst being blind?
A lot of these negative beliefs about sensory loss are usually due to a lack of
understand, information and sometimes ignorance on the other parties
behalf.
1.4 - Identify steps that could be taken to overcome disabling attitudes and
beliefs.
As mentioned in section 1.2, support from family, friends or healthcare
professionals is very important to help the individual identify and provide
solutions to their needs and requirements.
Creating a care plan that is centred to the individual is important as
everyone's needs are different and not one person the same. For example,
