My experience

Being deaf affects many parts of my daily life at home, even in ways that hearing people may not realise. One of the biggest challenges is when I take off my cochlear implants. Because they are not waterproof, I have to remove them when I shower. While I'm in the shower, I cannot hear anything around me. If an alarm goes off, someone calls my name, the doorbell rings, or there is an emergency, I have no way of knowing. It can feel isolating and sometimes unsafe because I am completely unaware of what is happening around the house.

 Communication can also be difficult with family members. Sometimes they try talking to me from another room while they are doing other things. Even with my cochlear implants on, voices from a distance can sound broken up, almost like a phone call with bad reception. I might hear parts of what they are saying, but not enough to understand the full message. This often leads to confusion and frustration for everyone.

There are also times when family members talk to me while covering their mouths, eating, looking away, walking into another room, or making other noises. As someone who relies heavily on lip-reading and visual cues, this makes communication much harder. I can miss important information or misunderstand what is being said because I cannot clearly see their face.

At night, I take off my cochlear implants before going to sleep. Once they are off, I cannot hear anything at all. This means I would not hear smoke alarms, emergency warnings, someone calling for help, or other important sounds during the night. While there are technologies available to help reduce these risks, sleeping without hearing can still be a concern for many deaf people and is something they have to think about every day.

These challenges may seem small on their own, but together they show how being deaf can impact everyday life at home. Simple changes, such as facing me when speaking, getting my attention before talking, and understanding the limitations of my cochlear implants, can make communication much easier and help me feel more included and safe.