Social Opportunities For The Hard Of Hearing

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31112, 15 July 1966, Page 5

Social Opportunities For The Hard Of Hearing

A millinery demonstration, held recently by the Christchurch branch of the League ,for the Hard of Hearing, was one way of helping deaf people to share in more social activities, said the senior teacher of the branch, Mrs L. S. Birdling. “Sharing goes a long way towards brightening the lives of these people,” said Mrs Birdling. “As well as restoring social contact, classes of this type provide interesting and varied recreation for the hard of hearing.” Other classes organised by the league were social afternoons, indoor bowls, yoga classes, art and craft classes, bridge games, garden circles, concert and film evenings,

mystery trips, and lip-reading classes. Mrs Birdling said lip-read-ing classes were a particularly important part of the league's work. ’The aim of these classes,” she said, “is to draw people into every-day conversation and to get them to express their own thoughts. So many hard of hearing people are lonely and frustrated and shut off from the life which others enjoy. By being able to talk freely, and take part in an ordinary conversation, they are released from this tension. “Our main problem is getting people who could increase their hearing ability by lip-reading to attend our classes. So often they will not admit that they need help,” said Mrs Birdling. The league encouraged people to wear a hearing aid if it would benefit them. Many hearing aids could be obtained free from the Christchurch branch and others could be purchased cheaply.