Liam joined WorkableNI in 2018, having been referred to the team by a Specialist Tinnitus Service. Liam had experienced sudden severe loss of hearing and onset Tinnitus, with no previous warnings or concerns prior to this life changing event, everything changed overnight and this had a huge impact on every inch of his life.
Liam has worked at Musgrave Park Hospital for 15 years, when he first met with his ESO retaining his one constant, work, was his aim above all else. Work was something Liam was confident in; he knew his job and his colleagues so well and this constant was a huge help with maintaining normality of the life he had always known.
Laura shared, “During his time on Workable Liam had a number of health problems which required treatment and recovery, the goal was always to get well and get back to work. Workable has supported with Communication tactics training, Access to work, reasonable adjustments, visual supports, use of assistive equipment, peer support sessions and ongoing emotional support. Liam is a hardworking and resilient person, and it has been a journey of many bumps in the road, I am so glad Workable has supported Liam to retain his employment.”
In 2020 Liam was fitted with a cochlear implant. Cochlear implants are not an immediate fix, sometimes the videos we see of Childrens reactions to hearing their parents voice for the first time are mind-blowing and create a sense of “they can hear now” impression, however this is not the case with Cochlear implants. The recovery from the procedure takes weeks, after 6 weeks the implant is turned on, this for Liam was the beginning of learning to listen again. Sounds, tones, volumes are added one by one to ensure the patient is not overwhelmed and the process of both deciphering sounds and retraining the brain is an ongoing journey. Liams ESO coordinated meetings with an implant user who provided peer support and direction for both the early days and adjusting to life with a cochlear implant.
Liam added - “The help and support I have received from AdaptNI is priceless, Laura has gone to great lengths in supporting me through work, making sure that work itself is equally prepared to the understanding of what I was going through with the hearing loss and tinnitus, also had meetings with my colleagues to help them understand the change I was dealing with, if AdaptNI did not exist I more likely would not be working, also Laura has included me in social gatherings and also peer support and mindfulness through zoom with other people going through hearing loss and tinnitus which has shown me that I'm not on my own, these have been a huge impact on my way of living now, my life was turned upside down when I lost my hearing and developed tinnitus but Laura has taught me that I can live a normal life again and for that I will be forever grateful to AdaptNI and Laura in particular for being there throughout my journey.... ”
Liams manager and the wider team have been very supportive, Liam and his ESO delivered communication tactics training and shared tips for effective communication within the hospital.
Liams manager Andrew notes “The support from WorkableNI has, been a huge benefit to both myself as a manager, Liam and the wider team. We are aware of and have implemented adjustments in the workplace which has been a learning curve for all involved, however we are now at the progression stage and can see the difference this input has made. Liam is a hard working and highly competent member of the team and we are relieved we have retained such an important part of the team. Working on the frontline during a global health crisis had its challenges and with the right adjustments we ensured effective communication in the workplace“
Would you benefit from in work support through our WorkableNI Programme? Or would you like information on specialist pre or new employment support? Contact the team info@adaptni.co.uk or check out the website www.adaptni.org.uk
SES Supported Employment Solutions partnership is made up of seven disability organisations from across Northern Ireland who have come together to deliver the Workable (NI) Programme across the Region. SES aims to offer a Supported Employment approach in the delivery of programmes to assist people with disabilities and health conditions to enter and stay in employment.
The Workable (NI) Programme is funded by the Department for Communities
