Did you know that dementia can affect how people use British Sign Language?
Many people living with dementia experience issues with communication. But not everyone knows what signs to look for when the person experiencing these symptoms uses BSL.
It might look like struggling to find the right signs - we all do this sometimes, but with dementia a person can struggle to find even common, everyday signs.
It might also look like use of signing space shrinking, or you might notice that the production of their signs seems less clear and more vague.
Another possible change is the use of 'old signs' from childhood that they might have learned at school, or using original signs or old regional variation signs from their home country or city.
They might also go back to using more lip reading or oral speech and less signing because during their childhood they were taught to speak rather than sign.
If you’re worried about dementia symptoms in yourself or someone else, you can call our Dementia Support Line via SignVideo, which links the user up with a BSL/English interpreter who can live translate the conversation with one of our Dementia Advisers.
And please share this post to raise awareness and help everyone affected by dementia get the support they deserve.
#DeafAwarenessWeek
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