Deaf with dementia training day
On Friday 29th July we welcomed Emma Ferguson-Coleman to the Vassall Centre for a training day on how to support communication with Deaf BSL users living with dementia.
Emma is a researcher based at the University of Manchester working on the Deaf with Dementia Life-Stories Project. Here in Bristol we have been working in collaboration with the Deaf Studies Trust to raise awareness of the impact of dementia in the Deaf community and were delighted that Emma could join us to provide the training. This was a full day workshop for BSL interpreters and social care professionals working with the Deaf community in the Bristol area. Based on real life examples, the workshop was an opportunity for participants to:
- Understand more about what dementia is
- Learn more about how to support communication with Deaf BSL users living with dementia and their families
- Consider strategies that interpreters can employ in relation to communication and look at the process from initial consultations through to assessments, diagnosis and support.
During the workshop there was scope for lots of interaction and discussion and it is clear that there is much interest in this topic. Here are some examples of the great feedback received from those attending:
‘The videos were amazing and very poignant. An interesting and informative day.’
‘Interesting training with a mixture of Deaf professionals as well as interpreters – it made for very dynamic conversations!’
‘Helps you learn how others see things and what they need from you the interpreter. Learnt some new signs for terminology. Brilliant and well needed.’
‘An excellent day. Should be repeated regularly!’
A big thanks to Emma Ferguson-Coleman for sharing her knowledge and expertise with us and we’ll look forward to further collaborations in the future.
