'They can save a life': Lipreading lessons held in Jersey to help combat social isolation

• ITV Channel's Katya Fowler has been finding out how much of an impact lipreading can have on islanders' lives

Lipreading classes are taking place in Jersey to teach those how to focus on someone's mouth and read what they are saying to help combat social isolation.

It comes after those losing their hearing are expressing their confidence has been knocked and they often feel alone.

Patricia Littlewood has been gradually losing her hearing and says it is: "Very very isolating. I couldn't understand what my son said, my grandchildren said.

"I had an app on my iPhone and iPad which took speech to text and that's how I communicated. Sometimes the background sound kills the speech when you're in a noisy environment. So therefore you fall back into lipreading."

Teaching the classes is Carole Jordas who was born deaf, she says lipreading is a lifeline to her.

She says: "You know they can save a life. There are so many people with hearing loss who feel so isolated because they miss out on so much in conversation. I know what it feels like but I'm quite an expert lipreader but for someone who lost their hearing that's a different ballgame."

Paul Daniel says: "It's developing a skill it's going to take ages but it is helping already. It is so hard to concentrate on someone's mouth, we're exhausted after these lessons honestly."

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