Support services for deafblind people

In order to provide a general overview of the social support services for people with acquired deafblindness in Denmark we present here a short description of the central services available.

If you would like more information on any (or all) of them, please contact us.

Contact persons

Together with the deafblind councellors, this is probably the most important support service for people with acquired deafblindness i Denmark.

This service is described in the Danish social legislation. The overall aim of the service is to help break or avoid the isolation and contribute to deafblind people being able to lead a life as close to normal as possible.

The roles of the contact person

The contact person

visits and communicates with the deafblind person
acts as a link to the environment
provides information about the faily news (through newspapers, television etc.
assists with translating letters, bills, sorting an archiving papers and mail etc.
guides and describes the environment when going shopping, visiting friends and family, going to the bank, post office etc.
guides the deafblind person to and during leisure activities, courses, meetings, vacation travel etc.

The deafblind person decides for which purposes he/she needs the contact person. However, the contact person does not assist with personal care, clearing the house etc.

Training and education

At present there is no formal training or education for contact persons.

The deafblind counsellor provides instruction and individual supervision for the contact persons to ensure that they develop professionally and are optimally qualified.

Instruction sessions are held every six weeks, and in addition to this meetings for all contact persons are held over the year.

Allocation of hours

When allocating contact person hours for the individual deafblind person, the whole life situation is taken into consideration. Among factors that are considered are

the extent of the handicap
the level of and need for activity
living conditions (whether he/she is married, is living alone in an apartment or in a home etc.)
interests and hobbies
need for guiding
whether he/she is working or studying etc.

The decision is made by the local social service authority (who is paying for it all) based on a recommendation by the deafblind counsellor.

In reality deafblind people can be allocated between one and 37 hours a week, and most have 8-10 hours.

The hours can be allocated as either fixed hours (same day and time every week) or as an "hour pool", where the deafblind person and the contact person agree on how to spend them along the way. They may also be allocated as a combination of fixed and pooled hours.

The Information has produced a film on the Dansih contact person service.

Deafblind counsellors

The national service of deafblind counsellors is provided by the Center for the Deaf (Center for Døve). The 14 counsellors are based in offices in Copenhagen, Odense, Frederica and Århus.

The aim of this service is to ensure that all people with acquired deafblindness - regardless of their age - get the help and support that they need in order to make them lead a life as close to normal as possible.

The counsellors visit the deafblind persons in their homes and evaluate their individual need for help.

The main tasks of the counsellors are:

Counselling directly to the deafblind person on factors relating to the disability
Counselling on the support stated in the social legislation
counselling on technical aids and referral to the regional hearing and vision counselling systems
Information about the contact person service and - if relevant - assistance with an applying for a contact person to the local social service authority
Referral to relevant education such as mobility and daily living skills
Information about existing possibilities for the group of deafblind persons such as participating in the deafblind organisation's peer groups

The deafblind counsellors also deliver counselling for public authorities as well as private organisations and institutions on deafblindness and existing possibilities for support and help.

Interpreting

Deafblind sign language users have the same right to interpreting as deaf people do, i.e. primarily in connection with work or education and in contact with a public authority. In case of for instance a parent meeting at the child's school, the obligation to arrange and pay for interpreting lie with the school (a principle known as "sectorial responsibility").

In case of interpreting in other situations, where the expense is not covered by others - for instance social events like a wedding party in the family - deaf and deafblind persons can apply for interpretation through the project "Social interpreting".

This project is financed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and it provides free interpreting in areas where there is no publicly funded interpreting such as family events, meetings in organisations, going to a movie, a theatre or a museum, taking driving lessons, going to church and much more.

However, in reality there is a shortage of interpreters. This means that it can be difficult to have your need for interpreters covered, both in social and publicly funded situations.

Vision and hearing rehabilitation

Deafblind persons have access to the services from the regional system of vision and hearing rehabilitiation and counselling. Instruction is provided in vision related topics such as daily living skills, mobility etc. as well as in topics related to hearing such as communication and instruction in use of hearing aid.

The instruction is adapted to the individual needs and wishes of the deafblind (and vision and hearing impaired) persons.

The instruction takes place in the regional vision centres and hearing institutes. In the Danish social legislation it is stipulated that a specific effort is to be made for adults with a physical or mental impairment in order (a.o.) to prevent that the individual's problems increase and to improve the individual's social and personal functioning and possibilities for development

Aids

Tehcnical and other aids can be provided for deafblind persons as well as people with other impairments or chronic illnesses or elderly, if the aids

are necessary for the person to carry out his/her work
can significantly relieve the impairment
can significantly relieve the day-to-day life in the home

Aids are allocated by the local social service authority based on an application, and they are generally free for the individual.

In-home help

Deafblind persons can receive in-home help on equal terms as anybody else in the Danish society.

The term "in-home help" comprises

personal help and care (personal hygiene, dressing, getting in and out of bed etc.)
practical help or support (cleaning, washing clothes, cooking etc.)

The local social service authority decide if the person is entitled to receive in-home help and - if so - what kind and for how many hours.

Training

In-home help staff have either a one-year social/health education or no formal education, depending on the type of help given. However, deafblind knowledge is not part of the formal training of home help staff.

Preventive Home Visits

Since 1998, all local social service authorities have been required by law to offer two annual preventive home visits to all citizens aged 75 and older. Elderly deafblind people can take advantage of this offer as well.

Main Purpose

to support the elderly person's personal resources and networking
to offer social support aimed at preserving functional ability

Each local social service authority decides how to organize and implement the visit program, since there are no detailed guidelines.

A diverse range of professionals conducts the visits, for instance district nurses, physiotherapists or occupational therapists.