After months of hard work, we are thrilled to announce the grand opening of our Water Street location in Peterborough.  The Water Street location, formerly a 4-unit apartment style home, has undergone extensive renovations to better serve the needs of the people we support. With the addition of two more units, the capacity has increased from 6 to 9 individuals. The renovation project also focused on enhancing accessibility, incorporating state-of-the-art equipment and design elements to promote maneuverability, functionality, safety, and independence. Some of the equipment includes ..read more

Alec is 23 years old and he is deafblind. Alec says, “Deafblindness isn’t the same for each person. For me, I hear some sounds with hearing aids, and I have limited sight with thick glasses.” Alec recently moved out of his parents’ house in Sturgeon Falls and into his own place — a DeafBlind Ontario Services supported living home about an hour away in Sudbury and it’s the first time he’s lived away from his family. DeafBlind Ontario Services takes a holistic approach to providing an array of services that are customized to each person’s unique needs, language and method of communication, and g ..read more

      September is an important month for the Deaf community, marking the International Week of Deaf People from September 18-24. The International Week of Deaf People strives to promote the human rights of people who are Deaf and their right to sign anywhere.   Over 1.3 million or 5% of Canadians aged 15 years and over have hearing loss. In Ontario, 563, 350 or 4.19% people aged 15 years and over have hearing loss.   As a person who is Deaf with a developmental disability, Cathy receives support from Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who communicate with ..read more

As a mother, knowing your child is happy is the greatest gift you can receive. DeafBlind Ontario Services has given my son, John, a happy and fulfilling life and for that I am forever grateful. Here is our story. John was born three months early in January 1983, weighing just over one pound. As a preemie, doctors told us that birth defects, including vision and hearing losses, were possible. I was left wondering what kind of life John would have, but I refused to allow my worry over his future to spoil the joy of having him with me at last. When he finally came home, on Mother’s Day, it was th ..read more

“Deaf people are the same as hearing people.” This message of inclusion is one of the many ways that 34-year-old Sara embodies the spirit of the holiday season. Here’s her story and how you can be the difference. “Every year, I look forward to holiday traditions, like time with my family, holiday movies, and carols,” says Sara. Sights and sounds that make warm memories and build anticipation for all that’s to come. “I was born Deaf.” This means that holiday movies are played with Closed Captioning (CC) – text displayed on a television screen – and carols are signed in Sara’s first language, Am ..read more

Celebrating International Week of Deaf People Sept. 19-25 “Deaf people are the same as hearing people.” This is 34-year-old Sara Quick’s message during International Week of Deaf People (IWDP), September 19-25. Worldwide, there are more than 70 million Deaf people, like Sara. In Canada, 5% of Canadians and 4.19% of Ontarians aged 15+ have a hearing disability. Yet, access to and use of national sign languages remains a challenge. Communication is essential to inclusion and equity in every aspect of day-to-day life. This year’s IWDP theme, ‘Building Inclusive Communities for All’, addresses the ..read more

Please click here to view the ASL alphabet in an accessible PDF format. The post The ASL Alphabet appeared first on DeafBlind Ontario Services ..read more

Colourful displays around the world bring people together for deafblind awareness Throughout June, large trees, fronts of buildings, fences, and lampposts in community spaces across Canada will be decorated with vibrant knit and crochet squares – a form of street art, known as yarn bombing – to raise awareness during National Deafblind Awareness Month. Deafblindness is a combination of hearing and vision loss. Over 1% of Canada’s population or approximately 466,420 people are deafblind, 211,250 live in Ontario, including Peter. With the support of Val Huffman, an intervenor that acts as his ‘e ..read more

Global Accessibility Awareness Day a good starting point for online inclusion Video communications platforms like Zoom bridge distances, making meetings, gatherings, and events around the world more inclusive. But, the technologies that help facilitate communication, can also create new challenges for people that communicate using sign language, like Barb Downey, a Facilitator of Community Services at DeafBlind Ontario Services in Peterborough. American Sign Language (ASL) is a visual language with the same linguistic properties as spoken languages, but different grammar than English. The ..read more

Debunking misconceptions to break down barriers to inclusivity “They can’t live independent lives.” According to Annette Piggott, Senior Client Services Advocate at DeafBlind Ontario Services, this is a common misconception about people with diverse abilities, like deafblindness.Deafblindness is a combination of hearing and vision loss. Over 1% of Canada’s population or approximately 466,420 people are deafblind, 211,250 live in Ontario. When people think about deafblindness, they often think of Helen Keller, one of the most internationally recognized people with deafblindness. However, a ..read more