What is deaf and hard of hearing?
Deaf or Hard of Hearing means different things to different people, however the term ‘deaf’ is often used to describe people with profound or severe hearing loss, whereas ‘hard of hearing’ tends to refer to people who have mild to severe hearing loss, but with some degree of hearing – often enhanced by a hearing aid. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may have specific terminology they feel more comfortable with using and indeed terms that they strongly dislike. Just because one person prefers to be identified one way does not mean that another person will also wish to be labelled in that way; therefore it is wisest to ask the person directly what terminology he or she prefers.
