Tag Archives: hard of hearing

Deaf workers

Many of us who are deaf and hard of hearing workers got the short term years of their experience job history.   I looked back in old times of years, I have met deaf who has good retired from their work.   This year, we not get any good or best retirement plan…reason economy poor and discrimination of deafness.  Why I did say discrimination of deafness is because of their communication and fear.

Communication is number one to understands.  Fear is second.  Many times, I heard they kept saying, “not know to deal with them.” and “can’t talk their language.”   Sign Language is like foreign language, Spanish or French.   Many people create the communication normal like always face with.    They have hire them for their motivation to work.   Not because they are deaf and cant speak their language.    Fear is everyone’s fear as always.  I know it is uncomfortable to meet anyone like that, but trust them as coworker.   Not just who they are.   They are alike normal human, race, religious, and gender.  

In old times, most of deaf jobs are like plumbing,  machinery,  and assembly.    Since my years in 70s to 2013 are different than I see in old times deaf workers does.   Deaf has degrees for Management, Doctor, Lawyer, and Businessman.   No one want them, they decide to work at retail stores or merchandise for part time.  Alot of them had SSDI (security social disability income) for their support and many time, they not like the idea because of their rejection of hiring on their experience history.    You know like hearing has Welfare for their support after laid off or no job. 

I have faced few interviews for the job and not find any that match my skills.  For example,  office duties, administrative support, and basically duty that no one wanted to hire me because of my deafness.    I worked in office for more than 20 years but some college credits with no degrees.   Hope that would help others and spread.

-DW

Need Video Remote Interpreting?

It is very important for deaf and hard of hearing community to use VRI at doctor office or any business office where hearing meet deaf in uncommunition equipment for the meeting or discusses.  

Why use VRI is because they can be connects you to a highly skilled interpreter within minutes, they are fleible on time, no limited trips or scheduling conflicts.   Also, they provides back-up when things don’t go as planned and serves communities where interpreters are not available.

Where shall VRI used in a variety of settings, including but not limited to Medical,  Educational, Employment, Legal, Mental Health, Community and Government Agencies.

When is VRI available for Walk-ins, Brief Interactions,  Unscheduled Services, Regions with No Local Interpreters,  and Appointments or Meetings with Short Notice

VRI is a growing field. One popular application is in the hospital emergency room. In this setting, it is essential that patients and caregivers communicate readily with medical personnel, but it may take time for a live interpreter to arrive onsite. Hospitals with VRI capability can connect with a remote interpreter quickly and conduct triage and intake surveys with the patient or caregiver without significant delay. Also, employees who work in office settings are increasingly converting to VRI services to accommodate brief interactions or regular meetings which would be difficult to schedule with an onsite interpreter. Schools and business located in areas not adequately served by existing community interpreters can also benefit from increased access to professional interpreters and save the expense of vendor travel reimbursements.

Using VRI for medical, legal and mental health settings is seen as controversial by some in the deaf community, where there is an opinion that it does not provide appropriate communication access—particularly in medical settings where the patient’s ability to watch the screen or sign clearly to the camera may be compromised. This is balanced by many in the services and public services sectors who identify with the benefits of being able to communicate in otherwise impossible (and sometimes life-threatening) situations without having to wait hours for an interpreter to turn up, even if this initial contact is used just to arrange a further face-to-face appointment. Therefore, businesses and organizations contend that it meets or exceeds the minimum threshold for reasonable accommodation as it’s principle is built around offering “reasonable adjustment” through increasing initial accessibility.

Hear!
-DW