Denise
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Denise is a child of deaf adults (CODA). Auslan was her first language, but the second language of younger siblings.
Denise describes her parents as having lived ‘the Australian dream’. They had ‘successful jobs … their own home and … a family’. They never ‘saw their deafness as a disability, because both were quite capable to achieve almost anything’.
Denise explained to the Royal Commission that a CODA, such as herself, ‘has the responsibility to speak on behalf of their deaf parents’ from quite a young age.
‘[This includes] making phone calls, interpreting appointments (general, medical and legal), interpreting job interviews, parent teacher interviews, weddings, disputes and even funerals.’
‘You can imagine the emotional weight and responsibility,’ she said. ‘We had to quickly learn the responsibilities of adulthood … not what you would class a normal childhood upbringing.’
Denise says this ‘still continues today for many CODA’.
The main reason is cost. Denise said the fee for an Auslan interpreter for a minimum of two hours is between $250 and $300.
‘Medical appointments are at no cost thanks to the wonderful service of the National Auslan Interpreter Booking Service.’
Denise believes the NDIS has made a difference for people under 65 because the funding package ‘accommodates for interpreting for any type of matters’.
Her concern is for her parents and other ‘deaf elders’ over 65 who ‘are assumed to have no life other than medical appointments’.
Denise says her parents are ‘fit, healthy, active, retired, self-funded pensioners’.
‘How can the Government expect a pensioner to pay a fee of $268.20 for an appointment with a real-estate agent, solicitor, tradesman, bank manager and many more others?’ she asks.
This means the children continue to interpret and her parents continue to feel ‘guilt and strain’ for needing ‘to rely on their CODA to interpret’. Denise says it impacts every relationship.
‘The relationship between CODA and parents, the relationship between CODA siblings not doing enough, whose turn it is to assist, and the relationships affected by the time spent away from family, work and responsibilities for CODA’s immediate families.’
She told us relying on children to interpret increases ‘loneliness, isolation, rejection, mental health issues, financial burden and discrimination’.
Denise believes deaf elders need to feel ‘their identity is acknowledged’.
‘Access to communication, access to a one-to-one Auslan interpreter for a deaf person is so vital, and I believe, a basic human right.’
Denise would like to see a ‘My Aged Care supplement package for deaf elders over 65 … who are fit, healthy, active self-funded retirees’. She believes they should be ‘provided with funding equal to NDIS eligible recipients … not group funding and not in-home Auslan interpreting’.
Deaf elders deserve to ‘live independently [and] have control of their lives’.
Denise believes this ‘vulnerable group’ needs to be ‘acknowledged, accepted, included and given this opportunity to feel that they are contributing and making a difference in their community and society’.
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.