??s for late deafened adults

[Daft]

A couple questions for those who became deaf or profoundly HoH....

Did you learn ASL? If so, was it difficult to learn, to find a class, or to find someone to help you learn. If not, is there a reason you don't want to learn or having trouble learning?

Do you find acceptance within the Deaf and HoH world?

A couple of reasons I have posted these questions. I have met some people who are late deafened adults and their experiences have varied. Most have not learned ASL. One person simply can't find any classes in sign in her area.

Also, it seems a lot of late deafened adults do not integrate into the Deaf Community. Their social circle seems to shrink to family and a few friends.

 

[shel90]

I think it would do them good to integrate in the Deaf community so the feelings of isolation wont cripple them.

 

[Berry]

I am hearing, but I have an opinion based on my observation of hearing, late deafened, and Deaf.

Late deafened tend to retain many hearing values, some are so ingrained they do not even realize they are there. Distance is one I have noticed. Hearing people will say, "I'd like to go to that meeting, but it is a two hour drive to Sacramento. That is a long ways."

Deaf people I have known think nothing of driving 3 times that distance to be where other Deaf are.

 

[shel90]

I am hearing, but I have an opinion based on my observation of hearing, late deafened, and Deaf.

Late deafened tend to retain many hearing values, some are so ingrained they do not even realize they are there. Distance is one I have noticed. Hearing people will say, "I'd like to go to that meeting, but it is a two hour drive to Sacramento. That is a long ways."

Deaf people I have known think nothing of driving 3 times that distance to be where other Deaf are.

It is so true. My hubby who is hearing always wonder why I am willing to drive 3 hours to PA for girls' night out with 5 of my deaf girlfriends.

 

[Berry]

It is so true. My hubby who is hearing always wonder why I am willing to drive 3 hours to PA for girls' night out with 5 of my deaf girlfriends.

Thank you, Shel. I often feel like I am overstepping when I post opinions like that on Deaf Culture. It is nice to be told I am right.

 

[FxAvatar]

A couple questions for those who became deaf or profoundly HoH....
Did you learn ASL? If so, was it difficult to learn, to find a class, or to find someone to help you learn. If not, is there a reason you don't want to learn or having trouble learning?

Well, I don’t know if I would count, since I still have some of my hearing.. I learned I was late (as in 3 months ago) HoH.. I have started learning ASL, mostly from videos (signing time), web sites (AD, ASL Pro, ect), and have been to one hearing/Deaf meet up (more to come, missed this month due to the holiday’s). As for finding a class, I located a museum in Kansas (about 30m from where I live) that offer classes, but I found that my local community college does offer a limited number of classes. Sadly, up tell last week, they had been full. One of the classes opened up on the 16th and I was able to get into it. The local paper had an article about the need for more terps in KC, and after looking up resources to learn sign, I can see what they mean. KC has very limited number of classes to learn sign, I do not know if it is from lack of interest, or lack of teachers, but for example, my Community College only offers Sign101 and Sign 102 despite the internal system shows book listing for like 8 different classes, but they are just not offered.

Do you find acceptance within the Deaf and HoH world?
Also, it seems a lot of late deafened adults do not integrate into the Deaf Community. Their social circle seems to shrink to family and a few friends.

I would say right now I feel as if I am between two words. Trying to stay in the hearing world since my friends/family/work is all based in hearing (not really open with the fact that I have hearing loss from my work, since I am on the phone doing helpdesk PC support for a living). At the same time, I am starting to glance into the Deaf world. I have met new friends on AD, even video-chatted with one of them and I have met a few people at the meet up as well.
As for integrating, it is odd that in a city as large as Kansas City, Mo, I am kind of finding it hard to find Deaf Culture. Now, I may be looking in the wrong areas, and I have yet to visit the Museum in Kansas or the school for the Deaf in Kansas, but for the Missouri side of town, it is really thin. Even at the meet up, the number of Deaf attendees filled only 2 tables in a sports bar. Now, it could be that other could be meeting up at other locations that I am unaware of, but I have been looking hard for anyone to use sign but finding nothing. It could be that many of the hard of hearing in this town are like my family, and hide it. I think that once I start class in January, I may find more contacts to those that sign, but for now, it is 95% internet and the two friends that want to learn with me.

 

[shel90]

Thank you, Shel. I often feel like I am overstepping when I post opinions like that on Deaf Culture. It is nice to be told I am right.

It is not a problem because you have shown that you do not hold an audist view of deafness or Deaf culture. YW.

 

[Lighthouse77]

It is not a problem because you have shown that you do not hold an audist view of deafness or Deaf culture. YW.

yes, his attitude is at the right place. When a your attitude is in the right place, your opinion based on your attitude tend to be in the right place too if you know what I mean.

 

[FxAvatar]

I am hearing, but I have an opinion based on my observation of hearing, late deafened, and Deaf.

Late deafened tend to retain many hearing values, some are so ingrained they do not even realize they are there. Distance is one I have noticed. Hearing people will say, "I'd like to go to that meeting, but it is a two hour drive to Sacramento. That is a long ways."

Deaf people I have known think nothing of driving 3 times that distance to be where other Deaf are.

This is a good point. I have to say I am still caught up in the distance thing myself. I will travel around the US for my job, but hate to drive more than 30-45 min for just about anything else. I will have to work on this, I have to say that the classes for my sign are on the other side of town (a good 45m drive from work, 1h+ back home).

 

[Frisky Feline]

I am hearing, but I have an opinion based on my observation of hearing, late deafened, and Deaf.

Late deafened tend to retain many hearing values, some are so ingrained they do not even realize they are there. Distance is one I have noticed. Hearing people will say, "I'd like to go to that meeting, but it is a two hour drive to Sacramento. That is a long ways."

Deaf people I have known think nothing of driving 3 times that distance to be where other Deaf are.

ha! that's true. I do meet someone elseby driving within 2 to 4 hours away from here. Until the gas prices go up that makes me mad!

 

[CJB]

A couple questions for those who became deaf or profoundly HoH....

Did you learn ASL? If so, was it difficult to learn, to find a class, or to find someone to help you learn. If not, is there a reason you don't want to learn or having trouble learning?

I'm still learning. My main challenge is finding someone willing to look at videos for me and show me tactually. It's hard to find online things and there isn't really a deafblind center anywhere near me. I did meet another DB person though that is a native signer who will help me learn.

Do you find acceptance within the Deaf and HoH world?

So far yes, to my surprise. I thought I'd be seen as "only" HOH.

A couple of reasons I have posted these questions. I have met some people who are late deafened adults and their experiences have varied. Most have not learned ASL. One person simply can't find any classes in sign in her area.

I've run into a number of oral Deaf people. I wonder if I would remain oral if I weren't blind. Being blind though means I can't rely on lipreading or body language or writing notes. I can do print on palm but it gets hard to understand after a short while because the palm tires quickly.

Also, it seems a lot of late deafened adults do not integrate into the Deaf Community. Their social circle seems to shrink to family and a few friends.

I'm avoiding this. I'm a social person and I can't stand feeling isolated. So far I've found a cafe that a lot of Deaf people frequent (signing and oral) and have managed to make friends with a few people there. In terms of socializing by speech, it's true I am pretty much limited to my family and close friends because they're the only people whose speech I can understand and are relatively good about remembering to talk in my direction and turn off background noise.

 

[Tousi]

It is so true. My hubby who is hearing always wonder why I am willing to drive 3 hours to PA for girls' night out with 5 of my deaf girlfriends.

This reminds me of how it was before the TTY. Deafies would have to drive to another one's home to make simple plans to go out to eat or future plans to just drive to another's house just to socialize or even to ask a simple question......you get the picture....

 

[shel90]

This reminds me of how it was before the TTY. Deafies would have to drive to another one's home to make simple plans to go out to eat or future plans to just drive to another's house just to socialize or even to ask a simple question......you get the picture....

Yea, I was told about those days by many deaf people. They said that they miss those days.

 

[Lighthouse77]

This reminds me of how it was before the TTY. Deafies would have to drive to another one's home to make simple plans to go out to eat or future plans to just drive to another's house just to socialize or even to ask a simple question......you get the picture....

I still do that with my family

 

[jinxedkitten]

This reminds me of how it was before the TTY. Deafies would have to drive to another one's home to make simple plans to go out to eat or future plans to just drive to another's house just to socialize or even to ask a simple question......you get the picture....

I've been resorting to that lately (lack of tty/tdd and vp) and it's actually fun banging on the door until they finally answer cats make a great doorbell fyi, due to their shifty ears.

 

[jinxedkitten]

Hearing people will say, "I'd like to go to that meeting, but it is a two hour drive to Sacramento. That is a long ways."

Deaf people I have known think nothing of driving 3 times that distance to be where other Deaf are.

The deaf socials in Sac are well worth the trip for the most part I wonder if they still meet up at the mall?

 

[Tousi]

The deaf socials in Sac are well worth the trip for the most part I wonder if they still meet up at the mall?

JKitten, Sacramento, eh? Riverside here. Have you ever run into a "Nikki" up there?

 

[jinxedkitten]

JKitten, Sacramento, eh? Riverside here. Have you ever run into a "Nikki" up there?

Regarding Sac town? I know a (deaf) Nicole through a mutual friend, I don't know if that's the same one you're talking about.

 

[Frisky Feline]

This reminds me of how it was before the TTY. Deafies would have to drive to another one's home to make simple plans to go out to eat or future plans to just drive to another's house just to socialize or even to ask a simple question......you get the picture....

Oh yes. When I was a kid, and used to sleep over my friend who have deaf parents. Their deaf friends always stop by and let them know what was going on with anything.

 

[Daft]

I would suggest to any late-deafened adult to contact his church to see if his Church has any sort of Deaf ministry which could assist him in searching for ASL resources. Or if one's Church doesn't have a Deaf Ministry, contact a church which does have one. I've heard of several local churches who have offered ASL courses. Often people who begin one of these classes will meet a mentor and have an "in" into the Deaf World.