Boo to the all-too-typical fail -- hospitals & clinics are often the least accessible public places.
YAYAYAY to the language services folks. This makes sense, because interpreters are all about "let's make info transfer happen and leave the *meaning* to our clients." While, social workers, customer services, and nursing are accustomed to "taking care" which often means "denying agency." Interpreters, on the other hand, begin assuming all parties have agency. The interpreting clients need the interpreters to ensure accurate communication because they have something to say, not because they need to be taken care of.
(I was a freelance ASL interpreter who worked in medical settings. Oh! Did the hearing clients ever try to turn me into a social worker and oh! did I love accurately interpreting the condescending crap to the deaf clients for them to contemplate.)
One more thing that can be handy is posting a sign above the bed: I'm hearing impaired. Look me in the eye so I can understand you. WARNING A .... B .... Z allergy
no subject
YAYAYAY to the language services folks. This makes sense, because interpreters are all about "let's make info transfer happen and leave the *meaning* to our clients." While, social workers, customer services, and nursing are accustomed to "taking care" which often means "denying agency." Interpreters, on the other hand, begin assuming all parties have agency. The interpreting clients need the interpreters to ensure accurate communication because they have something to say, not because they need to be taken care of.
(I was a freelance ASL interpreter who worked in medical settings. Oh! Did the hearing clients ever try to turn me into a social worker and oh! did I love accurately interpreting the condescending crap to the deaf clients for them to contemplate.)
One more thing that can be handy is posting a sign above the bed:
I'm hearing impaired.
Look me in the eye so I can understand you.
WARNING
A .... B .... Z
allergy