Sometimes we take for granted the senses most of us depend on everyday – sight, hearing, smell, and touch. Imagine your life without experiencing one of those senses.
It’s a reality for one million people in the world who are considered deaf.
Deaf Independent Living Association, or DILA, is a group on Delmarva that strives to support the deaf and ensure they have equal access to their community. Mike Purkey, executive director of DILA, tells us how they support the deaf.
“Hard of hearing refers to someone who doesn’t hear well,” Mike says. “This may be because they were born with a hearing loss or they may have lost some or all of their hearing later in life.”
DILA helps those who are deaf, or have hearing loss, learn life skills such as money management, communication skills such as sign language, accessing community resources, and personal management such as scheduling their own appointments – just to name a few.
