The World of the Deaf Community (IN: Living With Grief: who we are, how we Grieve, edited by K J Doka & J D Davidson)

This chapter intends to give professionals who deal with loss & grief a better understanding of what it means to have a hearing impairment & how professionals can best serve this population. It will focus primarily on people with profound hearing impairment. A clear explanation of the nomenclature is provided. A brief overview is given of the unique aspects of being a member of the deaf community. The languages used by different groups within the hearing impaired spectrum are presented. The ways in which deafness impacts the grieving process are explored. Suggestions are offered for hospice workers, grief counsellors, & case workers for improving services for people in the hearing impaired world & deaf community.