Deafened People: Adjustment and Support by Kathryn Woodcock, Miguel Aguayo, Miguel Aguayo

Product Details

Synopsis

It is estimated that there are currently 1.9 million deafened adults living in North America—people who could once hear naturally or with amplification but have become deaf and are now unable to rely on hearing to comprehend spoken information. Despite this vast number, there are no existing books that specifically address the process of adjustment to, and acceptance of, deafness as an adult. Kathryn Woodcock and Miguel Aguayo have remedied that situation with their unique look at deafness in Deafened People: Adjustment and Support.

Becoming deaf causes a crisis. The authors demonstrate that deafness is more than merely a medical condition; it is a social disability that changes the individual, the family, the social circle, and the work group. Attempting to control this condition and maintain an unchanged lifestyle often leads to an inability to cope and to emotional struggles. By describing the psychosocial experience of acquired deafness as a process of adjustment, Woodcock and Aguayo demonstrate that acceptance of deafness is a process involving practical, social, and emotional implications. To assist in that process, the authors have provided an invaluable guide to self-help techniques of proven value to deafened people.

Drawing on their own experiences as deaf professionals, Woodcock and Aguayo explore such questions as how deafness occurs, how relationships (professional and personal) can be affected by progressive deafness, and how and where to find peer support. The section on adjustment describes this evolving process in deafened adults and the section on support offers a practical guide to a successful method of establishing a self-help support network for deafened people, as demonstrated by the Association of Late-Deafened Adults. The book combines an informal style, with a review of the current theory and literature and ample personal examples.

Booknews

Two deaf professionals describe the processes of adjustment and acceptance in those individuals who have become deaf as adults. Combining medical background, professional advice, information on resources, and personal examples, they explain how deafness occurs, its effect on personal and professional relationships, and how and where to find support. With an emphasis on self help, they recommend journaling and provide instructions for starting and running a self help group. Woodcock teaches occupational and public health at Ryerson Polytechnic U., and Aguayo is a social worker specializing in deafness. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Biography

Kathryn Woodcock, PhD, is Manager, Performance Benchmarks & Analysis, at the Workplace Safety & KATHRYN WOODCOCK, PhD, is Associate Professor in the School of Occupational and Public Health at Ryerson Polytechnic University. MIGUEL AGUAYO is a registered social worker specializing in deafness - particularly acquired deafness - and other disabilities, and is currently a coordinator for the Ontario March of Dimes.