They won a total of 185 gold medals, and more medals overall than any of the other 150 countries. Just as guide dogs make an incredible difference to the lives of blind people, so do dogs trained by charities like Canine Partners for Independence or Disability Assistance Dogs. These specially trained dogs help disabled people enjoy greater independence and a better quality of life. They can be trained to perform any tasks that may assist their owner open and close doors, operate control buttons, switch lights on and off, go to the shops, load and unload the washing machines or fetch the telephone. Many of these can be helped by Hearing Dogs for the Deaf.
Many deaf people have feelings of isolation and loneliness as well as social alienation.
Not only are they cut off from the sounds of conversation but also from the signals of danger, emergency and alarm. Hearing Dogs for the Deaf trains dogs as hearing ears for deaf people. By responding to everyday sounds within the home, they communicate by touch and then lead to the sound source, allowing their owner greater independence and confidence, more awareness of their environment plus companionship and security. There are many mobility aids on the market including wheelchairs, scooters, stair lifts, gadgets to help around the home and bath and shower hoists to name but a few. Locally, DATA provides free training for disabled people who are unemployed in information technology skills.