Staff and residents taught to sign
Two deaf residents have inspired staff and other residents at an aged care village to learn sign language.
Two deaf residents have inspired staff and other residents at an aged care village to learn sign language.
The Peninsula Villages residents – Jan Morley and Maureen Stewart – communicate using Auslan, the sign language used by the majority of the Australian deaf community.
Through weekly classes hosted at the village on the New South Wales Central Coast, Ms Morley and Ms Stewart have been teaching staff and residents to sign since April.
“We’re so happy that staff and other residents are learning Auslan,” said Ms Morley. “It means that we can communicate with them better and they can understand us.”
Among the staff members learning Auslan, leisure and lifestyle manager Linda Segrott. “We’re so grateful to Maureen and Jan for teaching us,” she said. “It’s a wonderful way to connect with them and other residents who are hard of hearing or deaf, and to make them feel more at home.”
Both born deaf, Ms Morley and Ms Stewart met at the age of eight at the NSW Institution for the Deaf, Dumb and Blind.
They have been close friends ever since and moved to Peninsula Villages in 2020 and 2023, respectively, to be together and support one another. “I decided to move to Peninsula Villages earlier this year so I could be close to Jan,” said Ms Stewart.
In July, Peninsula Villages engaged service provider Deaf Connect to assist with the running of the signing classes.
“We believe upskilling our staff is essential to providing the best possible care for our residents,” said Peninsula Villages CEO Colin Osborne. “By learning Auslan, our staff are able to better communicate with deaf residents and ensure they feel included and respected.”
He added: “We are grateful to Jan, Maureen and Deaf Connect for their assistance in running the weekly classes and we are excited to see how this will improve communication between our staff and residents.”
Main image left to right: Jan Morley and Maureen Stewart teaching a resident to sign
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