[NFB-DB] FW: a piece for the blog

[doula.jarboe at gmail.com]

Hi All,

 

     I originally wrote this article for The Blind Coloradan, the Colorado
affiliate's newsletter.  But I thought people here might appreciate what I
wrote in light of the discussion about identifying personally as being
Deafblind.  Enjoy.

Warmly,

Doula

Secretary National Deafblind division

President of the Colorado Association for the Blind, Hard of

Hearing, and Deafblind

 

 

How Do You Know if You Are Deafblind?

 

     Until a few years ago, I didn't really consider myself to be Deafblind.
However, once I thought about it, the amount of hearing loss I have without
hearing aids is enough of a deficit for me to feel like I'm deaf.  But when
I filled out the application for I Can Connect, I was very confused about if
I qualified for the hearing loss part, because there wasn't a clear
statement for level of hearing loss.

 

     For those of us who happen to be blind, we have a clear legal
definition.  If your vision is 2200 or less, then legally you are considered
blind.  This definition exists for the Social Security Administration, SSA
to have a clear cut way of qualifying blind people for assistance.  But when
it comes to defining deafness, there isn't anything so clear cut.  From a
medical perspective, deafness is broken into categories based on levels of
hearing loss.  As far as a legal definition of deafness, that is a bit more
complicated.  Such definitions can be different from the ADA to different
states' laws.

 

     I think this is the other challenge with hearing loss and the word
deafblind.  Hearing loss is so gradual, that it can be difficult to detect.
Even for someone like me who has had hearing loss all of my life, my loss is
so gradual it's difficult to detect.  That's why it's important to get a
yearly hearing test.  But I think the other issue is the stigma of semantics
and what people are comfortable with.  Some may be more comfortable with
saying they are hard of hearing, or don't hear well.  And when someone says
they are Deafblind, many times people don't know what that means.  Because
just like with blindness, it covers a broad spectrum.  There simply needs to
be more education both within and without the blindness community so there
is a better understanding and more of a comfort level with this subset of
the blindness community.

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