See Hear: A strategic framework for meeting the needs of people with a sensory impairment in Scotland

2. Definitions

2.1. Sensory Impairment covers people living with a range of impairments. It includes people with varying degrees of hearing loss, sight loss and also with loss of both senses. Both hearing and sight loss can be present from birth, but for the majority of people a sensory loss will occur later in life, and the longer a person lives the more likely they are to develop either or both losses.

2.2. There are three main groupings that should be considered. Firstly people with a recognised sensory impairment, secondly people at risk of sensory loss due to a range of factors, and thirdly those people who are likely to be living with a 'hidden and untreated' sensory loss, e.g. people who have had a stroke, have a learning disability or dementia.