Sense Ability Matters (SAM)

Sense Ability Matters or SAM for short, are here for anyone in South Tyneside or Gateshead who have a sensory impairment, are disabled, or live with a long-term health condition.

We used to be known as Vision & Hearing Support, and before that we were Sight Service. We updated our name in 2024 to reflect that we’ve grown to support anyone living in the area who is disabled or living with a long-term health condition, and not just those with a sensory impairment.

Sense Ability Matters’ vision is for the region to have a disabled and sensory loss community that is informed, empowered and resilient.

We’re working to achieve that by:

• Empowering our community by giving them the tools they need to live independently and make positive decisions.
• Helping our community overcome adversity by increasing resilience and wellbeing.
• Ensuring our community is informed by providing first class information, advice and guidance.
• Influencing positive change locally, regionally and nationally for our community through strong stakeholder and relationship management.

What services do SAM provide?

Our services include:

• Rehabilitation
• Enablement assessments
• Personalised support plans
• Information and advice
• Community and peer support
• Group activities
• Employment support
• Digital support

Enablement

Our enablement service is available to anyone in Gateshead and South Tyneside who is visually impaired, Deaf, Blind or has dual sensory loss.

In South Tyneside we also provide services for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. In Gateshead this service is provided by the Local Authority.

An experienced Enablement Officer will work with our clients to develop a personal plan and assess what support is needed to help them achieve their goals. The plan may include services provided by Sense Ability Matters such as counselling, rehabilitation, and training in aids and equipment. If we don’t provide the support they need ourselves, we will work with partners and other services to make sure they get the right help at the right time.

We work closely with local Eye Hospitals and audiology departments and can help people understand the care pathway available to them.

We will revisit the plan with the client to review the impact and make sure the support is making a positive impact on their life. Once the plan is complete our door is always open for them to get in touch for additional advice, information, or support.

Rehabilitation

Our qualified rehabilitation team will help clients achieve day to day activities such as cooking safely, getting out and about, communicating and accessing information.

A home assessment will help the client create a safer living environment by reducing key risk factors such as trip hazards and poor lighting.

A personal plan will also help identify aids, adaptations and equipment that could help the client live independently.

Mobility, route planning and long cane training can help the client access places by foot or public transport with confidence.

Low Vision 

If someone can’t see clearly, even after a recent eye test and when wearing the correct glasses or contact lenses, they may have ‘low vision’.

Our unique Low Vision Service integrates optometry, rehabilitation and enablement into one service. The Sense Ability Matters team includes professional Optometrists, registered with the General Optical Council (GOC), working collaboratively with our other services. Which means our clients care is more streamlined, offering individual assessment, support plans and equipment provision, all from one team.

Our Low Vision service includes; a detailed examination with an Optometrist, a personal plan to help them achieve their goals, advice, support and equipment to help them maximise their remaining vision and Rehabilitation intervention to help them find the best use of the equipment available to them.

Digital Support 

Well Connected is our digital support service, designed to help people access technology and get online. For anyone wanting to be more independent and gain in confidence, our expert team can help show them how to make the most of digital and online services whilst avoiding online fraud and cyber scams.

Overall, less than one in three people with vision impairment feel able to make the most of technology. 36% of blind and partially sighted people never use the internet or don’t have access to it. This is significantly higher than the UK average of 10%. Well Connected helps our users feel more confident and empowered using technology, safely.

Living Well with Sight Loss

We have joined the RNIB Quality Assurance Framework to deliver the nationally recognised Living Well with Sight Loss Course.

The Living Well with Sight Loss sessions help people to increase their independence, boost their confidence and connect with others to share experiences.

Through our sessions, clients receive practical advice, information and guidance on organisations, products and services that are available to help them. They’ll also have the chance to learn from each other’s personal experiences and share experiences.

Living Well with Sight Loss courses are for adults of all ages, including friends, family members and anyone who is close to the client. Each course includes information and advice on a variety of topics, including:

• Registration of sight impairment and understanding benefits
• Staying independent
• Daily life skills and using technology
• Eye health and available eye care services
• Wellbeing
• Leisure and opportunities to connect with others
• Signposting to other national and local organisations.

Community Voice

Community Voice brings people together to share experiences, take part in community activities and help shape future services.

Sense Ability Matters are striving to shift it being us who designs, resources, and delivers activities and services to people, to one where we help our community itself to drive this, through peer support and volunteering.

Funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, the project takes a partnership approach alongside Your Voice Counts, led by people with lived experience, to help people access activities and services in the community through peer support and volunteering.

When surveyed in 2023, 80% of clients who took part in Community Voice said that they felt an increase in their self-esteem and confidence, felt less isolated and have better well-being as a result of their participation.