Introduction
The Occupational Deafness Compensation Board conducts or finances rehabilitation programmes for persons suffering from occupational deafness (OD persons). The objective is to help such persons make better use of their residual hearing capacity to overcome the problems or difficulties brought about by hearing impairment. Through better communication, they could take a more meaningful participation in family and social life.
Under the Occupational Deafness Rehabilitation Network (ODRN), the Board forms partnership with the Hong Kong Society for the Deaf, the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims and the Hong Kong Construction Industry Employees General Union to arrange a wide range of rehabilitation activities for the OD persons. These activities are organised on three levels:
Aural rehabilitation : to assist the OD persons in overcoming the hearing impairment through the provision of suitable hearing assistive devices and training of communication skills;
Social rehabilitation : to help the OD persons re-integrate into social life through various activities designed to let them regain confidence and motivation to interact with other people in the family and community;
Vocational rehabilitation : to assist those OD persons who still have the capacity and incentive to work in preparing for searching suitable employment.
Aural Rehabilitation
Aural rehabilitation is a vital link in the rehabilitation of OD persons. Making better use of their residual hearing capacity is the first step enabling them to communicate with other people. Under the Occupational Deafness (Compensation) Ordinance, the OD persons may apply to claim the expenses for acquiring hearing aids and other hearing assistive devices. The Board has been gearing its effort to encouraging them to fit with a suitable hearing aid.
Pre-fitting Seminar
The Board organises pre-fitting seminars on a regular basis for those OD persons who have not yet applied for the acquisition of hearing aids under the Reimbursement Scheme. The aim is to introduce to them the benefits of hearing aids and what to look for when selecting a suitable one.
Post-fitting Seminar
The Board also organises post-fitting seminars for those OD persons who have been fitting with a hearing aid. The objective is to help them understand how to make better use and maintenance of the hearing aid.
Hearing Aid Trial Scheme
The Board has launched a Hearing Aid Trial Scheme. An OD person can try on an hearing aid free of charge for a period under the scheme. It is hoped that the trial scheme will allow those OD persons who have reservation on using hearing aids to experience the benefits of the device, thereby convincing them to acquire one for themselves under the scheme.
Social Rehabilitation
Due to hearing difficulties, many OD persons experience problems in communicating with other people and taking full enjoyment of daily life. Social rehabilitation aims to help them regain confidence and motivation to interact with other people in the family and community.
To strengthen communication with the OD persons being compensated, the Board also publishes a quarterly newsletter (in Chinese)(Please click here to download accessible version in Chinese) which is distributed to all persons concerned.
In addition, the Board also operates a Rehabilitation Sponsorship Programme providing financial sponsorship to organisations in organising rehabilitation activities for OD persons.
Vocational Rehabilitation
Since 2009, the Board has commenced a vocational rehabilitation programme, specially for Occupational Deafness (OD) persons, which provides job placement consultation services and training on job searching skills and technical knowhow. These services aim at helping those OD persons who still have the working ability and motive to engage in or switch to suitable employments.
Given the importance of assisting OD persons to get a job, starting from 2012, the Board has developed another platform with the support from Employees Retraining Board to provide more diversified training programmes on working skills and employment consultation services to OD persons. Please click here for details (Chinese version only).