Cochlear Implant Life-Long Commitment

[HOH-ME]

Being deaf only limits you to sounds.
Just because there is no noise doesnt cause your arms, legs, mind to quit working...unless you are just straight up lazy.
I am late deafened and I can still build stuff without hearing a saw, a hammer... my body is still very able ...and I can still drive?
where does peoples common sense goes? Any of these people ever take science or biology?

That is all well and good, however, what if you have no talent building things? I have no experience at all building a house or whatever, nor do I have the interest in doing so. It's great that this is your vocation, but it is not just this easy.

I wear hearing aids so it may not apply to me totally. I have known quite a few deaf people who do not or cannot wear hearing aids and/or don't want the CI- many have/had very good jobs, good paying jobs. The only thing needed is appropriate accommodations (by law) such as interpreters for meetings, VRS in some instances. There are ways around communication (which I have also done-- email and/or IM instead of picking up the phone, talking face to face- and using the whiteboard too etc).

In this day and age a deaf person can do just about any job out there with some obvious exceptions due to either safety reasons or unable to meet qualifications like constant use of phone...though even call centers there can be work arounds- assign the deaf person to email "calls" or allow for VRS for voice calls (though I can't really see that happening if there's a stream of calls...).

It's really NOT this easy, especially the phone use. I had to retire from my job because of my hearing loss, pre-CI. My HA's just didn't cut it on the phone and even in person, things were not good. It took me a VERY long time to find a job that I could do, and I could only do that job because of my previous job. It's not something you could just walk in and do--a lot of specialized training, etc. No, with my CI's, I have no issues on the phone or doing any aspect of my job. I could, if I wanted to, go back to my previous career.

You don't have to disclose who they are or any personal information. Can you say what their job/career is? I'm not saying that its impossible to be employed or find a place as a deaf person, but what are the opportunities. I would like to know what they are, I've looked personally haven't found anything. I still currently hear with hearing aids, but I know some day they won't work for me. It could be tomorrow or 20 years from now, my only hope is that I could function at a similar level that I do now with CIs... at least until my kids are old enough to move out, they're all young right now.

There are very few jobs out there, outside of factory work or similar, that you can do without being able to hear. Heck, even working retail, you still need to be able to converse with customers, add in the ambient noises in a large store and forget it. There is that little clause in the ADA that says "reasonable accommodations"...most people pick up on the "accommodations" part and skip over the "Reasonable". It's not reasonable to have a interpreter answer your phone calls for you, for example. Can you imagine having an interpreter trying to work with you while running a cash register on Black Friday at Target?

When I was contemplating retiring, several of my co-workers were giving me suggestions as to what other jobs I could try, many of them suggested being an interpreter for the deaf...um, ok

I'd really like to know where all these deaf people are working/what their jobs are.

 

[AlleyCat]

When I was contemplating retiring, several of my co-workers were giving me suggestions as to what other jobs I could try, many of them suggested being an interpreter for the deaf...um, ok

The only part I'm going to add to this conversation is about your above statement. I have no idea where you're located or if there's a large deaf population in your area, so the "interpreter for the deaf" might be moot in your area. However, where I live (in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area in Minnesota), there is a HUGE deaf population here and many deaf have gone on to become "interpreters for the deaf". It requires the same/similar certification that is required of certified interpreters.

This is different from a regular (hearing) interpreter in that the hearing interpreter signs what is being said by a person, and a deaf interpreter translates that into easier-to-understand verbiage for a d/Deaf person. An example would be: such as from a courtroom with a judge saying "You have been found guilty of such-and-such felony, you will serve 3 years in prison and then 10 years of parole" and if the d/Deaf person who was found guilty doesn't understand what the interpreter is signing, the d/Deaf interpreter may re-interpret that into "guilty, 3 years jail, 10 years need to report after." This isn't a very good example, but basically sometimes an interpreter interpreting what is being said is too much/overwhelming for a d/Deaf person, and a d/Deaf interpreter can simplify or re-explain in signs/words that said d/Deaf person would understand. This would/could mean there are 2 interpreters in said scenarios. So there are jobs out there for this, but I do understand the market is limited depending on where you live and the need for this service.

 

[sappstter]

It's really NOT this easy, especially the phone use. I had to retire from my job because of my hearing loss, pre-CI. My HA's just didn't cut it on the phone and even in person, things were not good. It took me a VERY long time to find a job that I could do, and I could only do that job because of my previous job. It's not something you could just walk in and do--a lot of specialized training, etc. No, with my CI's, I have no issues on the phone or doing any aspect of my job. I could, if I wanted to, go back to my previous career.



There are very few jobs out there, outside of factory work or similar, that you can do without being able to hear. Heck, even working retail, you still need to be able to converse with customers, add in the ambient noises in a large store and forget it. There is that little clause in the ADA that says "reasonable accommodations"...most people pick up on the "accommodations" part and skip over the "Reasonable". It's not reasonable to have a interpreter answer your phone calls for you, for example. Can you imagine having an interpreter trying to work with you while running a cash register on Black Friday at Target?

When I was contemplating retiring, several of my co-workers were giving me suggestions as to what other jobs I could try, many of them suggested being an interpreter for the deaf...um, ok

I'd really like to know where all these deaf people are working/what their jobs are.

Thank you, what you've said is very encouraging. I would like to think the same is true for my self in regards to being able to continue working and that my ability to obtain work in the future will be based on my current experiences and education.

My frustration is with people who keep pointing out these accommodations with out any experience in receiving them or having to ask for them. There are laws, but discrimination will still exist. The only way to overcome it is to push for the accommodations and not give up so I understand that people on here are always pushing the accommodations. In reality its not that easy, but you can't give up I guess...

 

[DeafDucky]

wow y'all are a really encouraging bunch (I'm looking)...

An employer cannot be a mind reader in providing accommodations so SOMEBODY has to take the bull by the horns and ASK. For me I've had interpreters for larger meetings- that works usually but not always because in my field (IT) the meetings are always being moved around, last minute or too short to even have an interpreter there. I've had amplified phone accessories (the last one was good but my speech discrimination has seemed to take a dive).

I wrote another similar post in another thread as I'd forgotten I'd actually posted here.

As for what Deaf people's job positions were/are- Graphic designer/Web editor, many work in federal government jobs, real estate, counselors/therapists (to be fair though most are connected to the deaf community), nursing (that friend eventually left though). There is one woman I knew who worked for DFAS but for the life of me I cannot remember what her job title was. We were the only two (there may have been 1 or 2 others throughout the building) there.

I'm sure there are many others... not all of them are factory workers.

Yes we still have to push the accommodations. Many times most people have never met a disabled person or dealt with disabled in a work environment. When they do there's little to no training /seminars on that anyway. So yes, I've had to ask. ONCE in a while I will run into someone at a workplace who will ask me what I need so that's an improvement I guess.

Now to just get recruiters to stop relying on voice phones so much...

 

[HOH-ME]

The only part I'm going to add to this conversation is about your above statement. I have no idea where you're located or if there's a large deaf population in your area, so the "interpreter for the deaf" might be moot in your area. However, where I live (in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area in Minnesota), there is a HUGE deaf population here and many deaf have gone on to become "interpreters for the deaf". It requires the same/similar certification that is required of certified interpreters.

This is different from a regular (hearing) interpreter in that the hearing interpreter signs what is being said by a person, and a deaf interpreter translates that into easier-to-understand verbiage for a d/Deaf person. An example would be: such as from a courtroom with a judge saying "You have been found guilty of such-and-such felony, you will serve 3 years in prison and then 10 years of parole" and if the d/Deaf person who was found guilty doesn't understand what the interpreter is signing, the d/Deaf interpreter may re-interpret that into "guilty, 3 years jail, 10 years need to report after." This isn't a very good example, but basically sometimes an interpreter interpreting what is being said is too much/overwhelming for a d/Deaf person, and a d/Deaf interpreter can simplify or re-explain in signs/words that said d/Deaf person would understand. This would/could mean there are 2 interpreters in said scenarios. So there are jobs out there for this, but I do understand the market is limited depending on where you live and the need for this service.

You kind of missed the point like my former co-workers... I was retiring because I couldn't hear...so it would be pretty impossible to be an interpreter for someone.

 

[Tousi]

I guess if you want to limit yourself to living in the deaf world, that is your choice. I choose the hearing world and would not be happy if circumstances forced me into the deaf world.

Who forced you to come here, then?

 

[dogmom]

HOH-ME relating to your post #25 -Certified Deaf Interpreters are...Deaf...

and why do you think the deaf world is limiting? Unless you purposely desire to limit yourself...

 

[AlleyCat]

You kind of missed the point like my former co-workers... I was retiring because I couldn't hear...so it would be pretty impossible to be an interpreter for someone.

Ok, you retired from your job because you couldn't hear.

My paragraph above was about deaf interpreters. The interpreters are deaf. I was putting out an employment option. That's all.

 

[hoichi]

I guess if you want to limit yourself to living in the deaf world, that is your choice. I choose the hearing world and would not be happy if circumstances forced me into the deaf world.

So your limiting yourself to the hearie world
O i c

 

[hoichi]

I see this come up a lot and I keep asking the same question. How do you support yourself financially as a deaf person without CI? I see you're a student, but what are you going to do beyond that? I can't hear much without my hearing aids and will likely have CIs one day. I have my hearing aids in almost every second I'm awake, even if I'm by myself. To me its important to know what is going on around me.

I get that it may not be for everyone, but in that case I'd like to know what you do for a living. Maybe I need to look into doing that too

I support myself just fine, with no ci. ..Deaf.

I have a carreer.
I teach karate for a living, and assist in instructing.muso jekiden eishen ryu iaido



And work like a dog....

 

[Ri Sol]

It is only up to you, if you are comfortable now, then there is no need to use CI.

I went for CI, because I want to hear, I'm very curious about sounds, and despite to my deafness I love to listen to music, play piano and other musical instruments.
I can't stand noise, but I can't stand complete silence as well.

 

[HOH-ME]

HOH-ME relating to your post #25 -Certified Deaf Interpreters are...Deaf...

and why do you think the deaf world is limiting? Unless you purposely desire to limit yourself...

Tell me which occupations are out there where you don't need to hear and can make 100K+....like I was making before my hearing went bad....

 

[DeafDucky]

Tell me which occupations are out there where you don't need to hear and can make 100K+....like I was making before my hearing went bad....

Computer programming is one. Quite a few deaf folks are also entrepreneurs and own their own business. There are also some physicians. None of us here would know EXACTLY what jobs would fit your criteria- I sure as heck wouldn't. A career is what you make it. I didn't think I would do great as a QA Tester partly because of my deafness but here I am some 15 years later and I've had some good jobs with some very high profile companies.

Your world is only as limiting as you make it. At one time yes the deaf world was somewhat limiting but I blame a lot of that on the quality of education many received AND the attitude of hearing people. Today it is a LOT better and there are many many doors open though the attitudes is still slowly slowly changing.


There are ways to accommodate any 'hearing related tasks'.

 

[dogmom]

My hub is a computer programmer/troubleshooter, EE background though his degree is Computer Information Systems. He has also done network security.....always been very talented with anything electronic and mechanical. He is hoh/deaf without aids.