{"id":5922,"date":"2021-08-23T15:44:41","date_gmt":"2021-08-23T15:44:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oldsite.chha.ca\/?p=5922"},"modified":"2021-08-23T17:31:11","modified_gmt":"2021-08-23T17:31:11","slug":"new-report-uncovers-the-impacts-of-covid-19-on-communication-accessibility-for-adults-with-hearing-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oldsite.chha.ca\/fr\/new-report-uncovers-the-impacts-of-covid-19-on-communication-accessibility-for-adults-with-hearing-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"New Report Uncovers the Impacts of COVID-19 On Communication Accessibility for Adults with Hearing Loss"},"content":{"rendered":"

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New Report Uncovers the Impacts of COVID-19 On Communication Accessibility for Adults with Hearing Loss<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Survey respondents indicated the need for better communication access, including through the use of captioning across all live and recorded sources<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to watch this announcement in ASL<\/strong><\/p>\n

(For Immediate Release) August 23, 2021 <\/strong>The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA), University of British Columbia (UBC), and Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility release a report on findings from a recent survey released to Canadians on the Impacts of COVID-19 on Communication Accessibility for Adults with Hearing Loss<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em> Insights from close to 700 responses summarize the key findings, such as the demand for universal captioning, the impacts of masks, ways to promote clearer communication, and the accessibility of obtaining information from the government.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are grateful to all the individuals who took the time to complete the survey and who shared their experience and perspectives with us about the impacts of the pandemic to their day-to-day lives,\u201d says Christopher Sutton, Chief Executive Officer, Wavefront Centre. \u201cThe results from this report provide us with a foundation to better understand the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our communities and to ensure that moving forward, we can address these challenges as we continue to manage COVID-19 throughout the recovery phase and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will continue to raise awareness and take action, appealing to all levels of government, corporations and organizations when it comes to communication accessibility. The pandemic heightens specific concerns and challenges that do need to be addressed now and post COVID-19,\u201d says Lee Pigeau, National Executive Director CHHA. \u201cBridging the gap on communications barriers will ensure people who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing are provided equitable access at all times especially during a crisis or other emergencies.\u201d<\/p>\n

The principal investigators, Dr. Brenda Poon, Wavefront Centre Senior Research Fellow and Assistant Professor at UBC, and Dr. Lorienne Jenstad, Associate Professor at UBC School of Audiology and Speech Sciences, shared the preliminary findings of the survey on a webinar in May 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Deaf and Hard of Hearing respondents reported negative impacts of COVID-19 on many aspects of their lives: employment, social connections, grocery shopping, access to medical care, among others. While many people found communication difficult with face masks and plexiglass barriers, this population was perhaps harder hit because these safety measures interfere with facial cues and clear speech signals.\u201d explains Dr. Poon. \u201cWe sense there may be a tension between following safety needs and providing better communication, and, unfortunately, these aren’t always compatible.\u201d Dr. Jenstad added.<\/p>\n

The survey on the Impacts of COVID-19 on Communication Accessibility for Adults with Hearing Loss<\/em> was designed to collect information on the impact the pandemic has had on the daily lives of people who experience hearing loss and deafness, with particular focus on communication accessibility and access to information. Click here to access the full report. A video recording of our webinar outlining selected survey results is available. Click here<\/a> to watch the recording of this webinar.<\/p>\n

Key findings in the report:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n