COVID-19 Grants: DeafBlind Ontario Services
COVID-19 Grants: DeafBlind Ontario Services
DeafBlind Ontario Services provides accessible residential and customized support services across the province, supporting adults with a combined loss of hearing and vision. They take a holistic approach to providing Intervenor Services that are customized to each individual’s unique needs, method of communication, and goals to increase their independence and enrich their life.
Acting as a communication partner, intervenors connect people with their community, facilitate the exchange of information, and empower people with deafblindness to thrive.
The pandemic has hit DeafBlind Ontario Services’ clientele particularly hard. Since much of the communication between intervenors and people with deafblindness is done through touch, social distancing has been all but impossible. Many of the people supported by DeafBlind Ontario Services also have additional medical challenges that make them vulnerable to COVID-19, making the correct and thorough implementation of precautionary measures a necessary priority.
“For our team of intervenors, social distancing has meant continuing to facilitate communication with the people we support while taking a universal precautions approach to infection control, which involves limiting interactions and sanitizing between interactions with different individuals,” says Susan Manahan, Director of Development & Communications at DeafBlind Ontario Services. “Our team has done an amazing job at bringing comfort to the people we support, lessening their anxiety about the situation while trying to instill a sense of normalcy.”
Thanks to a grant from the LCF COVID-19 Response Fund, DeafBlind Ontario Services has been able to purchase the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) for their intervenors, allowing them to continue supporting their clients safely during the pandemic.
An intervenor communicating with a person with deafblindess.
“Although these times have been, and continue to be challenging, it is comforting to know that we have the PPE we need,” says Susan. “Community partners like LCF, Westminster College Foundation and the Lawson Foundation have been pillars to DeafBlind Ontario Services during these challenging and unpredictable times, helping us protect the vulnerable people we support and our valued employees.”
For many in our community, especially those with vision or hearing loss, the pandemic has greatly affected their ability to communicate. It’s vitally important, now more than ever, that we foster a sense of understanding in our community to ensure everyone feels safe, secure, and connected.
A person with deafblindness enjoying a “trip” to Paris organized by DeafBlind Ontario Services.
“Going forward, it’s important to keep an open mind – someone may be practicing social distancing, but it may look different than what you are used to,” says Susan. “Further, wearing a mask can increase difficulties with communication for someone with deafblindness. Patience and understanding can help to reduce some of these challenges.”
People supported by DeafBlind Ontario Services require a variety of supports beyond access to intervenors. Resources such as specialized equipment, wheelchair accessible vans, accessible home renovations and assistive devices, as well as recreational and social programs improve quality of life and offer enriching experiences. If you would like to lend meaningful support, please visit www.deafblindontario.com.