Hearing and Vision Impairments
Hearing loss is a severe disability that affect everyone who is living with it, regardless of gender, race or age. It affects communication. For caregivers who have a hearing loss or who are caring for someone with a hearing loss, it makes caregiving even more stressful and demanding. Additionally, the inability to hear can be a matter of life or death if one cannot hear the smoke detector, the telephone, the alarm, an automobile horn, or the doorbell. The Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing has a Technology Demonstration Center that is open to the public by appointment. The Center features a broad variety of equipment and information to help family caregivers and others discover the many possibilities that exist for living with a hearing loss.
Contact the Information and Referral Department at (617) 740-1668 (voice) or (617) 740-1768 (TTY) for more information.
Mass EDP – Adaptive Telephone Equipment
MassEDP provides adaptive telephone equipment to people who have difficulty using the telephone due issues such as hearing loss or vision loss. This enables them to have the opportunity to enjoy clear, independent phone communications and the ability to contact 911 in the event of an emergency. The specialized telephone equipment is offered to people with a permanent disability for little or no cost, depending on income level. These disabilities include: deaf/hard of hearing, blind/low vision, motion, cognitive, and speech.
There are three eligibility requirements:
- Residency in Massachusetts
- Permanent disability that can be verified by a MA physician
- Residential phone service
There are several different types of equipment, each offering special benefits based on disability. MassEDP Field Advisors are available for on-site presentations at your facility.
For more information and a complete list of equipment, please visit www.massEDP.com or call 1-800- 300-5658.
Blind and Visually Impaired
For over 100 years, the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (MABVI) has been committed to supporting individuals living with vision loss. We teach strategies for doing activities you may have previously relied on vision to accomplish. There is no one right way to live with vision loss. Their goal is to help you find ways that work for you and to provide you with the support you need.
MABVI empowers individuals to continue to lead full lives, whether you are experiencing vision loss or have been blind since youth. Vision rehabilitation, access technology training, volunteer help, counseling, and peer support services are comprehensive, cost-effective, high-quality services that are often life-altering.
Contact them toll free at 888-613-2777 for more information.
