Some of the efforts made by hospitals and nursing homes to communicate with the deaf and hard of hearing, while sincere, are proving unsuccessful.
That’s one of the takeaways from a series of forums held across the state, including events in Bowling Green, Owensboro and Somerset.
Many hospitals have equipment for ‘Video Remote Interpreting.’ That's a videoconference with the doctor, the deaf patient and an interpreter reading the patient’s sign language through the video connection.
Virginia Moore is executive director of the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She said just having the remote interpreting equipment doesn’t guarantee that critical medical information will be understood.
“The problem is they don’t have dedicated lines to that machine, so therefore, it’s pixelated, and it’s not clear or it freezes, and it’s not readily or easily understood, therefore it’s not effective communication."
Moore says it would better if hospitals contract with a local interpreter who would appear in person to make sure the deaf person’s medical information is relayed accurately.
Another issue that has been arising in the forums is that senior centers and nursing homes often don’t prioritize hearing issues.
Moore said while it’s natural for people who work with the elderly to first deal with more obvious medical issues, hearing problems can contribute to decreased mental functioning.
“The longer a person goes without some type of communication, being it a hearing aid or what have you to help them, that has a direct correlation to dementia.”
The next forum will be held in Paducah at the Courtyard Paducah West, 3835 Technology Drive, on Tuesday, June 6 from 5 to 8 p.m.