Groups
Lipreading
WHAT DID YOU SAY?
1 in 7 of the population will experience a hearing loss. When this happens you can begin to feel isolated and excluded. Having a chance to learn lipreading helps to give you more confidence whilst meeting others in the same situation can help towards coping more positively with hearing loss.
The aim of a lipreading group is to:
Increase confidence in communication through acquiring lipreading skills and learning coping strategies.
The group meets for two hours, once a week where:
- you learn and practise lipreading skills
- you find out how people can help you
- you learn how to cope when you are out socially
- you acquire strategies on managing everyday encounters
- you learn about special equipment
It is FUN and it is FREE.
If you would like to find out more, contact: janice.davidson@westlothian.gov.uk
Courses
| Location | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bathgate Academy | Wednesday |
7.00 pm - 9.00 pm |
| Broxburn: Strathbrock Partnership Centre | Thursday |
1.30 pm - 3.30 pm |
| Livingston: West Lothian College | Thursday |
7.00 pm - 9.00 pm |
| St John's Hospital Livingston | Thursday |
1.00 pm - 3.00 pm |
Short Course Provision
The lip-reading service offers free, short, taster courses to help you to decide if lip-reading is for you:
| Location | Starts |
|---|---|
| Linlithgow | November 2008 |
| Whitburn | January 2009 |
| West Calder | March 2009 |
| St John's Hospital Livingston | Ongoing |
Tom's Story
I located a short starter course and got an introduction to what was involved. This led to joining an established group. My only aim at that time was to learn to lip read. As the weekly meetings took place, I discovered that there was a lot more to be gained. I found the help and support from the tutor and other group members to be very useful. There is a vast amount of information as well as support and advice from other lip reading students. I found it made me much more confident, as well as much more assertive in dealing with organisations and individuals in respect of my hearing situation.
I stopped trying to accommodate my hearing loss and started to take positive steps to ensure my quality of life was not greatly changed due to my hearing loss. Classes are fun and there is an active support group which organise outings, theatre visits and all sorts of social events. It does take time to learn to lip read but it is worthwhile.
I would strongly advise anyone who thinks they could benefit from learning to lip read to join a class. There is just so much more to be gained in your life.