Editor’s note: Amy Lynn Smith shares about Helen Keller’s life and work in recognition of Helen Keller DeafBlind Awareness Week 2022, June 26- July 2. May we remember Helen’s legacy and recognize how, even today, those who are blind, low vision, or DeafBlind are influenced by her legacy. The story of Helen Keller has been … Continued
The Administration on Community Living (ACL), who administers the Older Americans Act (OAA),recently announced the theme for Older Americans Month (May 2022) is Age My Way. The theme epitomizes ways older adults can remain in and stay involved with their communities. This theme is especially relevant for older people adjusting to vision changes, who often … Continued
Over the years, I’ve heard clients say, “You people are the best kept secret.” When I’ve mentioned this to others in the profession, they inevitably smile, and say, “Oh yeah, I’ve had clients say that too.” Too me, it is rewarding and sad to hear clients say vision rehabilitation therapists (VRT’s) are the best kept … Continued
VisionAware has just updated our Glaucoma Information. Why? Because people who are living with this eye condition need creditable information and resources. And… Glaucoma Affects Millions of People According to the National Eye Institute, from 2010 to 2050, the number of people in the U.S. with glaucoma is expected to increase by more than double, … Continued
Why is Low Vision Awareness Month important to VisionAware readers? The numbers of older people with low vision are increasing and are projected to grow dramatically over the next several years. As noted by the National Eye Institute, “The good news is that vision rehabilitation services can help people with vision impairment learn how to stay … Continued
by Elizabeth L. Sammons and Empish J. Thomas Every reader of this post has surely experienced forgetting names or failing to recognize someone. However, many sighted people can say, “But I never forget a face.” Since our blindness community doesn’t share this ability, we wanted to discuss issues around recognizing friends or identifying strangers. Elizabeth: … Continued
Topics That Have Resonated with Readers COVID-19, of course, is the big news anywhere you turn, and VisionAware has responded to this crisis for people who are blind or visually impaired by offering content on staying safe, finding transportation, maintaining your household, and looking out for your eyes. VisionAware uses tags for our blog content and has a great search function, so you should be able to find … Continued
One of the things I enjoy about beginning a new year is the opportunity to think about a personal project, such as a new skill I can learn, or a direction I’d like to step toward with a measure of courage and optimism for the year ahead. If I can find a quote that captures … Continued
Editor’s note: Maribel wrote this post for the International Day of People with Disabilities, which occurs on December 3. According to the organizers, “It is a day for optimism – to look towards the future and the creation of a world where a person is not characterized by their disabilities, but by their abilities.” Creating … Continued
Editor’s note: This post is the second in our series leading up to White Cane Safety Day on October 15. Be sure to read the first: October 15: White Cane Safety Day – VisionAware. Not Just a Guide Dog School Leader Dogs for the Blind in Michigan is dedicated to preparing people with vision impairments to travel safely and independently with either … Continued