Deafened People: Adjustment and Support

Ian W. Toal is a registered nurse in Barrie, Ontario.

This book is aimed at deafened people, those who acquire deafness after
learning to speak and function in the hearing world. Deafened people
face a different set of problems from those who have grown up deaf or
those who can hear but with difficulty. Acquired deafness, whose onset
is often sudden, can have a dramatic impact on a person’s self-image,
work life, relationships because the foundations for all these things
were laid down while the person was able to hear. The loss of hearing
requires significant personal and social adjustments.

The authors (both of whom are deafened) discuss many of the major
issues affecting people with acquired deafness. The book is broadly
divided into two sections: adjustment to deafness and support available
for deafened people. There is a small section on the physiology of
hearing and how a person may become deaf. The bulk of the book, however,
is reserved for an examination of how people cope with becoming deaf,
both personally and within a social context. Included in this discussion
is a look at the professional and self-help available to deafened people
to assist them in the transition.

Deafened People is mainly intended as a resource for a lay audience,
but professionals with people who have acquired deafness may find the
book useful as well.