La maltraitance méconnue des sourds locuteurs de la langue des signes en maison de retraite

Sign language, recognized in France since 2005, is practiced daily by thousands of French. The absence of consideration of the specificities of people with pre-lingual deafness has led to situations of ill-treatment or neglect in the nursing homes where they live. Their deafness is not necessarily apparent and many deaf persons often use the communication codes of individuals who are not deaf. They can articulate in an understandable way, but may agree or acquiesce without understanding, or only partially understanding, what is said. When acquired cognitive disorders come to complicate communication, the situation becomes even more problematic. Often, it is only with the help of professionals familiar with sign language, that real communication can be established. Experience shows that accommodating deaf persons in the same residential facility enables the development of a linguistic community between residents and professionals, and this can avoid the social exclusion of these individuals.