Ways to Adapt: Strategies for Life, Living Well with Vision Loss
Mary Beth Caruso, Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist
June 1, 2010
Perkins Outreach Services frequently receives calls from the children of older adults. Often these children are themselves seniors who are coping with their own changes in work, home life, health, etc. Usually their call is precipitated by a visit to an eye doctor who has now declared their parent has macular degeneration, is severely visually impaired or even legally blind. It is almost possible to gauge the “newness” of this visual diagnosis by the level of anxiety in their voice. All concerns voiced are valid issues but not all are necessarily major concerns at the moment. So many times, brief conversation yields information that their parent has been experiencing a slow loss of vision over several years, yet has adapted quite well and maintained their routines. The factor that has changed is there is now a label connected with their parent's vision.
Time and again, the first question asked is “where is the home for the blind” meaning nursing home for people who are blind or the assisted living facility that is exclusively for individuals who have lost vision; in other words, where is the most protected environment where everything will be “done for” their parent. This kind of question is one that can be prompted by fear but more often, it is prompted by care, concern and love. Loss of vision should not be the sole reason for making a change in a parent’s living environment; how they adapt to the loss of vision is the critical point.
Strategies for Life: Living Well with Vision Loss columns* present various ways to adapt the environment to make all aspects of caring for one's home and daily life possible including: general and task specific lighting; use of color and contrast; large print or tactile labeling; well thought out and consistent organization of belongings; nonvisual safety techniques for cooking and cleaning; and the use of assistive devices and appliances. A thorough low vision evaluation can help to identify possible glasses, magnifying aids and electronic devices. Training from a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist (CVRT) as well as a Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist (COMS) can happen in the home or at a rehabilitation center. Exploring options, participating in training and implementing these types of methods and adaptations can help a parent to remain where they want to be...at home!
Safety concerns due to memory loss or fragile health may prompt thoughts of moving, especially when vision loss is added to the mix. In next month's column information to consider when researching alternative housing options will be shared.
Perkins Outreach Services for Ages 55 and Older, Outreach@Perkins.org, 617-972-7643.
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