This week I had the absolute pleasure of utilising the Interpreter Services available to Rise through Auslan Connections, for people accessing Aged Care services to assist me with a meeting with a new client and her family and I wanted to share this story.
The client who is hearing impaired and has dementia was reluctant to commence with service and after communicating with her family we were able to book a time to meet and discuss how Rise could assist her and an Interpreter was requested to be at this meeting.
The meeting took place in the clients home with a member of her family and another support person, all of whom are deaf and communicate via Auslan sign language. The interpreter was able to meet with us in person and interpret and facilitate the conversation between the four of us. The interpreter was fantastic and such a great support to all involved!
Together we were able to establish support for the client for shopping and transport within her local community and to support her to continue to meet her friends at the deaf society. This was a great outcome for the client and I feel privileged to have been a part of this meeting and assisting her and her family.
If you have any Aged Care clients who would benefit from communicating via Auslan I encourage you to access this great FREE service which is available to assist with supporting older Australians who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing to access or engage with aged care service providers.
http://auslanconnections.com.au/
For more information or to book an Interpreter contact Tori or email Funding@risenetwork.com.au
Sarah Haggas
Aged Care Coordinator