March 2019 - Hearing Dogs for the Deaf

Vanessa Scott always had a hearing impairment, but it got significantly worse for her 25 years ago. She is profoundly deaf and has been fitted with a cochlear implant, and to this day no one knows the reasons for her hearing loss.

“Having grown up with hearing, all my friends and family are used to me being able to speak and respond to sounds. It has been a really difficult journey for all of us. My husband works very long hours and is often away, so my children were my life line. I relied heavily on my children to translate things for me when I couldn’t understand. Once my children had grown up, university and careers beckoning. I found myself alone for long periods of time feeling more and more isolated. Days would go by without me having reason to leave the house or speak to anybody. My speech deteriorated and my listening skills also suffered.“
Vanessa Scott

Hearing dogs help reduce the loneliness, isolation, anxiety and stress that can deafness can bring by restoring a deaf person’s independence and emotional wellbeing through an unique combination of practical help and invaluable companionship.

We were joined by Vanessa Scott and her adorable companion Ellis for a talk about her experiences and the charity Hearing Dogs for the Deaf.