Events

Long-term care home for deaf individuals

Special Long-Term Care Facility for the Deaf – that's the topic of the next film in the 'Fun facts in Polish Sign Language' series.

Bob Rumball Home For The Deaf

Hi. Today, we’re moving to Canada, to the city of Barrie, near Toronto. There is a long-term care home for elderly deaf individuals there. It’s called the Bob Rumball Home For The Deaf.

This facility was opened in 2006. The building was designed from the beginning with deaf individuals in mind. There is a lot of natural light inside. The rooms are spacious and high, without barriers that would hinder free communication in sign language. This allows people, even those at a significant distance, to communicate freely using sign language. Each person staying there has their room, and there are a total of 64 rooms.

Deaf Home – Why Was It Established?

Do deaf individuals in need of assistance, want to stay in this care home? Yes. If it weren’t for this home, specially created for the deaf, deaf individuals in need of help would have to stay in other facilities, where no one knows sign language. And that would mean truly great loneliness and significant barriers in contact with the staff, thus a lack of the possibility of receiving proper medical help.

In this home, everyone knows sign language. Deaf individuals from birth or those who lost their hearing in childhood often meet their former schoolmates here. This creates a unique atmosphere in the facility. It cannot be compared to similar facilities for hearing individuals. The building is intended for elderly individuals, requiring long-term care.

The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community

A staff member of the facility reminds us that elderly, deaf individuals, “grew up in a world where the only way to socialize was to participate in the deaf club or the deaf church.” These individuals are often thirsty for knowledge, which they can pass on to each other. And as you can easily guess, old age often comes with barriers to using new technologies, so acquiring information for these people is possible only through personal conversations with other deaf individuals.

The second part of the building is intended for hearing individuals. Deaf and hearing residents participate together in various events of the facility, and staff who know sign language assist as interpreters.

What do you think about such care homes? Should separate care homes for the deaf be established? Or maybe you know of such homes? Let us know in the comments. Bye! Hi!