My role was to case study a number of deafblind people over two years and to put in the type of support required by these individuals. In the end it was almost a pilot on a small scale of a country-wide service. Need was looked at in the context of wider issues, such as differing social circumstances or ethnic background, varying levels of impairment and additional health issues. This is a huge area because many people can't get to their GP, let alone to hospital. Even if they do, the interaction is often so poor that they don't get what they need.
Staff say things like' It's the little button over here' to someone who has no sight.
The project also highlighted the isolation experienced by many people with dual sensory loss. To help counter this it set up small peer groups with activities tailored to what people enjoyed and could best access. These included quizzes using smells or object recognition and aromatherapy days. Many other initiatives grew out of the project including the training of residential care, social services and health authority staff, and a specialised assessment process. Another significant outcome has been that the local authority has agreed to fund a county specialist worker for dual sensory impairment.