Leading experts in deaf-blindness visit Iceland

This week leading experts in deaf-blindness are visiting Iceland for the very first time. They are here to hold a training course on the subject, and there has been a great deal of interest.

In order to provide proper support to deaf-blind people, training days have been set up this week in Reykjavik. The Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues is behind the event, which will be attended by some of the world leaders on Usher syndrome, the most common cause of deaf-blindness.

"It is great to arrange a course here in Iceland for the first time ever. Thirty people have signed up, which is unusually high in this context. It means that there is great interest," says Maria Creutz, project manager at the Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues.

In Iceland, work with deaf-blindness has intensified since 2010. According to Maria Creutz it is important to identify and talk about all sorts of needs that exist.

"There is plenty of medical research on this, however, we want to now highlight the health perspective and issues that concern the psycho-social aspects," she says.

The course is open to anyone who wants to attend, and will comprise lectures and discussions, and also include people with Usher Syndrome who will talk about their situation.

"We hope that everyone affected will benefit from this," says Maria Creutz.

The course takes place from 12.00 on Tuesday, 27th September until 14.00 on Thursday, 29th September.

The media is welcome to contact Maria Creutz for more information:
maria.creutz@nordicwelfare@org
+46-73 517 20 31

Presenters:
Moa Wahlqvist, MD in disability research. PhD in autumn 2015, with thesis entitled "Health and people with Usher syndrome". The thesis describes the health of people with Usher syndrome and addresses the importance of understanding the health of people with Usher syndrome from a biopsychosocial perspective.

Mattias Ehn, doctoral candidate at the Swedish Institute for Disability Research and Psychology, with the Deaf-blind team in Stockholm. In his thesis, Mattias is studying how work and other environmental factors can prevent illness in people with Ushers syndrome.

Lisbeth Tranebjaerg, Chief Physician, Specialist in Clinical Genetics, Professor in Genetics of Deafness, PhD.

Bettina Kastrup Pedersen, Educational Consultant for children and young people with congenital or acquired deaf-blindness.

Svanhildur Anna Sveinsdottir, personal experience with Usher syndrome.